New Beginnings
by AntonCheckOn
Summary: Shepard thought that controlling the reapers at the end of Mass Effect 3 offered the greatest chance at bringing a lasting and happy peace to the galaxy, even if it cost her her own being. But it would seem that her story didn't end with firing the Crucible. This story is based on my other work 'Transitions', but is in a separate continuity. Rated M for violence, and language.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note** (This note contains spoilers for _Transitions_):

First off, I should say that while this is a derivative-work based on my other story entitled _Transitions,_ it should stand on its own; it is in a separate continuity. If you'd like a better grounding in my take on the characters I'd suggest reading the stories in that continuity first. I'd recommend the following order: _Transitions, Recollections, Longing, Guilt, Transitions: Last Thoughts, _and_ Reassignments (_thought that last story is a bit of an off-shoot and doesn't really matter when you read it so long as it's after_ Transitions)._

This does not constitute a retcon or alternate ending for _Transitions_. Consider this a completely separate continuity from my other stories based on the _Transitions_ characters. As you have undoubtedly noticed, _Transitions_ was published prior to the release of ME3, and ignores that game and its events in their entirety. _This_ story, however, takes place after the conclusion of Mass Effect 3 (including the 'Extended Cut' DLC and all other DLC's). That said; the protagonist is the same _person_ as we know her from _Transitions_ and _Recollections_. She has the same feelings, wants, desires, hang-ups, pre-ME3 background, and personality as the Victoria Shepard from _Transitions_. She truly loves Liara, and wanted nothing more than to settle down and raise a family with her after the war was won. What she doesn't have, however, are any of the events I described that occur after (chronologically) the conclusion of ME2 (e.g. no Sam, estate on Thessia, Little Tahoma, etc.).

This isn't me finding a way to keep Victoria Shepard alive, but if you want to look at it that way… I won't stop you…

:-P

So, to sum up:

Previous Works – ME1/ME2 Paragon Spacer/War-Hero Shepard, ignores events of ME3

This work – ME1/ME2/ME3 Paragon Spacer/War-Hero, same _person_ but ignores some of the events of my previous works (specifically, anything that happens after the conclusion of ME2)

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**Update 3/22/13**: Added an author's note to the bottom of the first chapter to answer a reader question.

**Update 3/24/13: **Fixed the author's note at the bottom of the first chapter to answer a reader question correctly.

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**Disclaimer**:

The fandoms contained herein are owned by their respective copyright holders, not me. This story is for my personal amusement without financial gain, and is fair use. Gratitude to the relevant entities for creating universes which are so much fun to play in.

A big thank you to all of the people who've offered me encouragement and advice while writing this.

This story contains foul language and graphic depictions of violence as well as some sexuality. Reader discretion is advised.

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Dear Readers,

This is my first attempt at publishing in serial. Please bear with me as I learn this new format. I will do my best to keep the chapters coming at regular intervals, but if life intervenes please be understanding. Comments, suggestions, requests, and criticisms (please keep it constructive/classy) are welcomed and appreciated.

Warmest regards, and enjoy,

Anton

* * *

**Prologue:**

_Eternal… Infinite… Immortal…_

Victoria Shepard felt rather than heard the words resonate within her. It didn't seem real, nothing seemed real. The words were in her own, albeit distorted, voice, but she didn't speak them. _I will protect and sustain… I will act as guardian for the many…_ But she had done that! When could she just _rest_, live her own life in peace with her beloved? But perhaps that could never be. Maybe this was always her fate, endless self-sacrifice. Shepard felt detached, like she wasn't really there. _I will never forget... I will remember the ones who sacrificed themselves so that the many could survive…_ Suddenly, Shepard realized the words were not just _within_ her, but directed _at_ her as well.

_To give the many hope for a future… To ensure that all have a voice in their future…_ The words repeated upon themselves. But how? Shepard felt a _presence_. It was enormous, suddenly distinct from herself, yet it enveloped her. It was ominous, but she did not feel fear. Shepard was beyond fear. She had united a galaxy. She had faced down the Reapers. Whatever _this_ was would be no different.

Shepard felt the presence withdraw. She became aware of her N7 combat armor, complete with her hardsuit helmet, not the burnt and mangled mess that she had worn while discussing the fate of the Milky Way with 'the catalyst'. She felt a subtle movement. Her eyes came into focus. Shepard looked into a shimmering blue pool. Victoria was confused, but unafraid. The blue was not the rich Cherenkov-like glow of a mass effect field, it was lighter. The pool rippled as if a multitude of small rain drops fell upon it.

_You will have a voice in _your_ future…_

Shepard thought it was beautiful, the same shade as her beloved Liara's skin. It enveloped her. _My god, it's full of stars,_ she quoted the famous old Earth film. _What a cliché._

* * *

"Incoming offworld traveler," said Chief Master Sergeant Harriman.

Brigadier General George S. Hammond appeared at his side. "Who do we have due back, Walter?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Walter responded, "SG-1, sir. They are," he checked the chronometer above the main console, "two minutes early, sir."

The stargate engaged with the familiar whoosh of air displaced by the formation vortex, it was easily audible through the ballistic glass. "Wormhole established," Walter paused and interrogated the IFF gear. A few moments later the computer acknowledged receipt of SG-1's IDC code, judged it to be valid, and pronounced the all clear. "SG-1 IDC received, sir."

"Very well," responded the General. He looked through the ballistic glass to see the members of SG-1 exit the stargate and walk down the ramp. Hammond opened his mouth to order the pro-forma defense team to stand down when he heard a loud series of pops. The stench of ozone immediately filled the control room. "Walter, what's going on?"

Chief Harriman's fingers danced across his keyboard. "Don't know, sir; running diagnostics now." A loud snapping sound came from the gate room. Electric arcs flashed about the stargate, some made contact with the walls, while others danced along metal electrical conduits. The Security Forces team in the gate room ducked behind their barricades, SG-1 scrambled for cover. Hammond caught the look on Major Carter's face; she was already working out what was happening in her mind. In a moment she would be next to Walter, solving the problem as she always did. Just as soon as she thought she could make it out of the gate room without being struck by lightning. Fortunately, Staff Sergeant Syler wasn't down there; he seemed to be a magnet for the stuff.

A disturbance appeared on the event horizon, a shimmering ripple. _Just like before an object comes through the event horizon_, thought Hammond, "Walter! Close the iris!"

"Yes sir!" Chief Harriman reached out and slapped a palm down on the red emergency button. Nothing happened. Walter tried again, still nothing. "Sir, iris not responding."

General Hammond reached forward to the intercom, "Defense teams to the gate room!"

Then she came through the gate.

* * *

No sooner had they exited the stargate had the fireworks started. SG-1 dropped to the floor amid the electric arcs and crawled behind the defensive barriers. Major Carter immediately started collecting data. This was her bailiwick, she would need to help sort out what was happening. Curling his nose at the stench of ozone, Colonel O'Neill looked at his team. They were all under cover, hopefully it would be enough. He was about to order Sam to the control room when he heard General Hammond order the defense teams to the gate room. Then a lone figure tumbled through that stargate.

It looked human. It looked female. It looked like something from the future. The figure, clad in what Colonel O'Neill could only imagine was some sort of advanced body armor, skidded to a stop at the bottom of the ramp. She shook her head, and stood. The electric discharges abated substantially.

SF troops poured into the gate room through a blast door and leveled their assault rifles. Then the shouting began, variations on _drop your weapon_ and _hands up!_ Jack hadn't even noticed the pistol, it seemed to unfold out of nowhere and materialize in the stranger's hands. But that wasn't even the most astonishing thing. _As if anything we do isn't astonishing,_ O'Neill thought. The figure was wreathed in an ethereal blue glow. Deeper and brighter than the stargate's signature 'glowing puddle', the figure continued glowing even after the stargate shut down abruptly. The SF team's shouting increased in volume and urgency. Jack decided he needed to do something before this ended in a bloodbath. Subconsciously, Jack wondered whose blood it would be.

* * *

To say Commander Shepard was disoriented was a profound understatement. It had been a long day; space combat with the largest armada ever assembled in the history of the Milky Way, an all-out space-to-ground assault on the city of London, brutal street fighting against seemingly unending waves of enemy troops, a foot scramble towards the London Beam with the 2 kilometer tall _Harbinger_ standing behind it blasting away at them with all manner of deadly weapons, the Illusive Man's suicide, Anderson's death, and an absurd conversation with 'the catalyst' where she learned that, despite all of her work and effort and sacrifice, she really didn't have any good options for ending the Reaper War. The snap decision that attempting to control the Reapers was the _least bad_ option offered despite the personal risk, the strange disembodied voice that sounded eerily like her own, and now _this_.

_I can't win, can I?_

Despite the disorientation, her trained soldier's senses began collecting data. It looked like she was in some sort of concrete bunker. She was dressed in full N7 combat armor rigged for hard vacuum. Her armor was complete and undamaged, and she wasn't wounded like she had been when she entered the London Beam. She stared down barrel of her M77 Paladin pistol and into the muzzles of a squad's worth of ancient looking gunpowder assault weapons. The camouflaged men holding the weapons were shouting at her. Another group of camouflaged individuals lay sprawled on the floor.

_Something isn't right,_ she thought; a stupendous understatement. Victoria summoned her biotic energy; she was enveloped in a powerful mass effect field as she prepared to lay down a singularity right in the middle of the troops shouting at her. Her muscles tensed, she tightened her grip on her pistol.

"Stand down!" a man in desert camouflage shouted. "Stand down!" He interposed himself between Shepard and the increasingly agitated soldiers with the toy-like weapons. The man held his arms out until the soldiers relented, then he turned to look at her.

Shepard was taken aback. She looked into the man's eyes. He was obviously agitated and worried, but there was something else. There was something _familiar._ A realization, _there's pain in those eyes_, Shepard thought. This man had _been there_. Shepard slowly lowered her pistol, the mass effect field dissipated with a faint _pfft_.

Despite the decreasing tension, Shepard's heart rate continued to accelerate. The world greyed, her lips and fingertips tingled. Suddenly she noticed the 'air supply critical' warning light flashing in her helmet's head's up display. _I knew something wasn't right,_ Victoria Shepard thought as she slumped to the ground. A faint, distant voice shouted, "Medic!" as she slipped from consciousness.

_It's been a long day._

* * *

**UPDATED Clarification on Story Timing**:

I've received a question as to when in the SG-1 series this story might be taking place, so I figured I'd drop a note here where new readers will catch it. (I'm not sure if those who've 'followed' the story will get an alert for this update, hopefully you'll get a chance to read this message too.)

I originally said that I envisioned this story taking place just before Daniel Jackson dies/ascends. And that for artistic purposes, we'd just say that this story, in its entirety, takes place between the episode before Jackson dies, and the episode in which he dies/ascends. I checked through the SG-1 wiki again, and it looks like I was mistaken. What I meant to say is that this all takes place right towards the beginning of SG-1 Season 5. So, definitely before Daniel Jackson dies, but also before Anubis begins to show up as well.

Sorry for the confusion, I feel a bit of a jerk for making the mistake.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!

- Anton


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:**

"What do you have for us Doctor?" asked General Hammond. They crowded around a lab table in the SGC's medical wing.

"A bit of a mystery, sir," responded Doctor Fraiser.

"That's an understatement," quipped Colonel O'Neill.

Doctor Fraiser ignored the Colonel's interruption and continued. "We've confirmed that she's human, though the quick DNA check we've run on her shows signs of modification."

"What kind of modification?" asked the General.

"Hard to say, sir," the Doctor replied, "But the preliminary work suggests that one is on the allele that is known to affect blood clotting, plus half a dozen others that we don't fully understand yet." She paused, "Honestly, I won't know until I talk to the Human Genome Project people, and even then…" she trailed off.

The group traded glances, "Please continue, Doctor," commanded the General in a curious tone.

"Yes, sir. Well, she's definitely human, and she's definitely not a goa'uld." She paused and reached towards a computer terminal on a rolling cart. "That said, well, she's got some serious issues." She pointed to a fully body CT scan image, "Her skeleton shows signs of extensive damage and repair. Notice the metallic plates throughout. A number of her internal organs seem to be unnatural; organic for sure, but not human. I'm afraid I won't know exactly what they are without a biopsy, and I'm reluctant to do that until I know more about her physiology. She's also covered in scars. Whatever happened to this woman, it was severe."

"What are these? Tumors?" asked Doctor Daniel Jackson pointing to the image on the computer. "That looks like a serious case of cancer."

"That…" Major Carter said haltingly, "we don't know what that is." The group looked at each other. "It seems to be emitting a dark energy field, my instruments can confirm that much; but not much else. It's definitely not naquadah, though, that's for sure. It looks like they're all formed around primary nerves. Additionally," Carter zoomed the computer image in on the skull, "there appears to be a device implanted at the base of the skull that's connected to them. I have no idea what that does, but they're obviously related."

"And then," Carter reached for a small metallic object, it looked like a deck of cards, "there's this". Her excitement level increased. Jack chuckled to himself, _kid in a candy store._ "I think this is a computer of some sort. It's emitting the same dark energy field. And watch this," she tapped the object. A bright orange holograph formed around Carter's left hand. The group, startled, leaned back, and then leaned forward in curiosity. "I think it's a holographic user interface. Unfortunately, I don't have the required implanted accelerometers in my fingertips to use it," she paused, "we also detected those on the CT scan."

"Then how do you know what it is?"

Carter smiled at the General, she was obviously excited. "It told me, in English. American spelling, if anyone's interested." The group seemed a bit confused. "This, apparently, is a _Savant Mk. 10_ omni-tool, manufactured by the Serrice Council." She shook it in her hand excitedly. "It is registered to one Commander Victoria Regina Shepard of the Earth Systems Alliance Navy." The group's collective jaws dropped.

"It just told you this?" asked Daniel Jackson.

"Yes. Apparently it's detected that Commander Shepard over there is having some sort of medical emergency and offered me some identification and medical information; presumably to aid in her treatment." She powered off the device and picked up a lab notebook. "Commander Shepard has O-positive blood, an allergy to penicillin, and a _Savant Mk. 10_ bio-amp implant, also manufactured by the Serrice Council; I can only assume that's the device in the base of her skull…" She trailed off as she consulted the rest of her notes, "She was born on, get this, April 11th," she paused, "_2154_, on some place called Arcturus Station." Now that got everyone's attention. No one spoke, Major Carter continued, "She holds something called an 'N7 special forces designation' and a commission at the grade of Commander in the Alliance Navy, service number 8923-AC-2826. She's a Citadel Council Spectre, whatever that is, and she's the commanding officer of the Systems Alliance Space Vehicle _Normandy_." Everyone was dumb founded. _Could this be for real?_

* * *

Shepard's thoughts swam. She could hear voices through a haze of drugs. _"It seems to have her service history here, apparently she's some sort of war hero."_

_"Major, do you believe that this is for real? Not some sort of goa'uld trick?"_

The voices faded somewhat. _Where am I? What kind of Reaper trick is this?_ It had to be a trick. She must have been duped. _I can't believe I fell for it, just like the Illusive Man, I'm so stupid! I just wanted to have a chance to be with Liara again, even if I were part of the Reapers._ The Reapers were controlling her! O_h god, I betrayed the galaxy! Is this what _indoctrination_ is like?_

Victoria decided that if it was, all was already lost. But if it wasn't, she needed to come up with a plan to escape. Shepard tried to calm herself; her placid face never betrayed that she was conscious. She needed _whoever_ they were to think she was still asleep.

"General Hammond, a thought occurs," a voice said. The voices were becoming louder, the sedatives were wearing off. "In general, secret programs don't go advertising their presence to others, but I know that the Stargate Program isn't the only classified government project out there. You'd think we'd have heard about this Earth Systems Alliance by now?" It was the same voice that had called off the troops when she first arrived. _Stargate Program?_

"Major Carter, do you honestly believe that this woman could be from the future?"

"I think we'll have to ask her to find out. When she wakes up."

"She'll be out for a little while still. We had to sedate her. After we got that armor off of her she woke up and broke an SF's nose trying to escape. She tore through the restraints like they weren't there, some strange blue glow. I had to put her under. But, I've had to use more with each dose; her body seems to be developing immunity quickly." A pause, "Still, she might be out for another couple of hours."

"I do not believe that to be the case Doctor Fraiser," a deeper voice, polite and very precise. "I believe this Commander Shepard has been awake for some time, and is now listening to us."

That was Shepard's cue. If she was going to make a break for it, or at least try, now was the time. Something stayed her hand, though. Something deep down told her this wasn't some trick. She remembered the ominous voice, it didn't sound malicious. Shepard had the deep sense that it was giving her a second chance. She just _knew_ it. Of course, there was also the purely tactical consideration of affecting an escape. During her first escape attempt, before she had broken that man's nose, she heard someone saying that they might _seal the mountain_. If this bunker she was in was under a mountain, escape on foot was most likely impossible. She'd have to bide her time and come up with something else. Shepard decided to take a chance.

"Very observant," Victoria said evenly. She slowly rose from the hospital bed. She was un-restrained; apparently they'd decided that it wasn't worth ruining another set of straps on her if she tried to rabbit again. The group took a startled step back. A very angry airman with a swollen crooked nose approached her with an archaic looking pistol at the ready. "Peace," Shepard heard herself say. She raised her hands slowly, "I won't resist, and I won't try to escape again." She paused; some diplomacy was in order, "I'm sorry about your nose. I was, _confused._"

Shepard looked at the rest of the individuals in the room. They were all human, though one of them had an odd looking ornament glued to his forehead. _That's almost like the ornaments Samara wears._ They seemed to be military, but their uniforms looked like something out of a history book. "My name is Commander Victoria Shepard, Alliance Navy. Who are you?" She paused, "And what is today's date?"


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

Thanks to everyone who has followed this story, I really appreciate the support and comments. I think my intent is to try to update with a chapter or two every week. But, since it's the first weekend, why not a double feature?

Enjoy.

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**Chapter 2:**

Shepard sat in what looked like an antique conference room. No holography, no haptic interfaces. They had some old style office chairs, a long table, and an overhead projector that looked like it belonged in a museum. The most interesting artifact was the _50 star_ United States flag in the corner. Provided someone wasn't messing with her, and that wasn't something that Victoria was willing to rule out yet, that placed her sometime between 1959 and 2096. _So, pre-Prothean Discovery_, she thought. Shepard smirked to herself and recalled something Javik had said when she first met him, _I am surrounded by primitives._

They hadn't given her the date yet, of course, or any other information for that matter. They were probably still trying to figure out what to do with her. She imagined the only reason they hadn't tried to knock her out again was her relinquishing her bio-amp. Hopefully they were keeping it in a sterile container and not messing with it like she had asked. _They better _not_; it was a gift from Liara._ _The _Savant_ series was way better than her Alliance issued equipment._ Still, they were obviously afraid of her, even after she told them she couldn't use her _super powers_ without the device. This was a lie, of course. Victoria was an amazingly talented biotic, she retained a _limited_ biotic capability even without the amp. _Certainly enough to get my hands on a _real_ weapon_, she thought to herself.

She was somewhat surprised that they were being this laid back about the whole situation. She knew _she_ was confused beyond belief, and would certainly have them locked up if their roles were reversed. That General Hammond, though, he seemed to see something in her; he was giving her a chance. He reminded her of Hackett in a way; rapier wit, forceful, but compassionate when he needed to be.

General Hammond and the members of SG-1, she had at least learned _that much_, entered the briefing room. Shepard came to her feet and stood at attention. Hammond was surprised for a moment, and then he motioned her to sit. The assembled took their seats. There was a pregnant silence. All eyes were on her, but it wasn't her show, not yet. "Miss Shepard?" asked General Hammond, "would you mind telling us who you are, and where you came from?"

Victoria held her tongue. She took a deep breath, "Commander, sir," she said as politely as she could.

To his credit Hammond merely nodded, "Pardon me, Commander."

Victoria nodded her thanks. "As I said before, my name is Commander Victoria Shepard." She paused, they didn't react. Usually people responded with awe or applause or something similarly annoying. "I assure you that I'm as confused about this as you are, and I want answers as much as you do. However, since it looks like I'm your guest, rather than the other way round, let me start by answering _your_ questions."

She was met with silence. They just scrutinized her. They weren't going to get anywhere like this. If she had traveled back in time, however insane that sounded, she needed to get these people mobilized. She might have bought at least a century to prepare for the Reapers. These people needed a kick in the ass. Even as they spoke _Sovereign_ was out there, plotting. _And maybe I'll see Liara again_, she thought. Shepard tried to put from her mind the fact that, depending on what year it actually was, Liara probably hadn't even been born yet. "May I have my omni-tool please?" she asked. Everyone looked at each other. Hammond nodded. Major Carter reached into one of the baggy pockets on her fatigues and produced the device.

Shepard took the omni-tool in her hand, powered it on, and slipped it into the pocket of the hospital scrubs they had her wearing. She could hear the SF guards tense slightly; they were obviously pondering what horrors might befall them if they tried to get the omni-tool out of her pocket against her will. _What to show them,_ Shepard thought, _perhaps a history lesson?_ Of course, without an uplink to the extranet, or an extranet for that matter, she would be relying on whatever data she had cached in the omni-tool's memory. Fortunately, she fancied herself something of an amateur historian.

"In 2148 human explorers on Mars discovered an abandoned research facility left by an extinct alien species which we call the Protheans," she projected images of the facility she had downloaded prior to her mission to the Archives. The 3D images were met with _oohs_ and _ahhs_. "It was the single most important event in human history." She let that hang there for a moment. "Based on the data we recovered there we were able to develop mass effect technology enabling faster than light travel. We also discovered that Pluto's moon, Charon was in fact a Mass Relay linking Sol to Arcturus. Arcturus is roughly 36 light years from Sol." Realizing that they definitely didn't know what a Mass Relay was, she continued, "The Mass Relay network allows near-instantaneous travel across thousands of light years throughout the galaxy."

Shepard paused, she waited for questions. There weren't any, not even from Major Carter, and Shepard had _her_ pegged as the brains of the outfit. _Alright, prepare to be dazzled!_ "Over the next 19 years humanity, represented by the Earth Systems Alliance, began exploring our corner of the galaxy. In 2157 we encountered and fought a brief war with the Turian Hierarchy. Thankfully, the First Contact War was very short and relatively bloodless, and we were welcomed into the galactic community." Shepard paused and tapped out a few commands on her omni-tool. A schematic of the Citadel blossomed to fill the air above the conference table. She actually heard the man called O'Neill say _wow._ He held a hand out and swiped tentatively at the image, Major Carter elbowed him and he stopped.

"Up until very recently," Shepard continued, "galactic society was centered on the Citadel. It's an enormous space station, roughly 45 kilometers long with a population of about 13 million. We thought it, like the Mass Relays, was built by the Protheans. On it, the Citadel Council directs law and politics for all of Citadel space." She tapped out a few more commands and projected an image of the day she was inducted as a Spectre. It was a minor point of vanity, but she had downloaded a news image and saved it to her personal files.

"What the hell is that?" asked O'Neill. He seemed to be looking at the councilors.

"The one on the left is Sparatus the Turian councilor. In the middle is Tevos, she's the Asari councilor. The frog-looking guy on the right is Valern, he's the Salarian councilor. In 2183, a few months after this picture was taken," Shepard said with some amount of personal pride, "humanity was given a seat as the fourth Council species in recognition of our heroics at the Battle of the Citadel."

"Is that you in the middle?" asked Doctor Jackson.

"Yes. This image was taken when I was inducted as the first human Council Spectre." She saw the confused faces, "Spectres are a supra-legal paramilitary organization which is employed by the Council itself to maintain galactic stability. I was made a Spectre when I was hunting a renegade Turian by the name of Saren."

"That sounds like trouble," she heard O'Neill mutter. Frankly, Shepard agreed with that assessment. Though, she couldn't be quite sure if he was commenting on Saren, or the supra-legal part.

"Saren?" General Hammond looked confused, and rightly so.

"I can brief you fully at your convenience, but here are the highlights." Shepard paused, she looked at O'Neill. In the few hours she'd known the man he'd come off as a simpleton. She knew this was an act. The man had a brutal intellect, and was a born leader. That much was obvious based on how well his team worked together. O'Neill simply looked at her, collecting information. She got the impression he knew that she was about to lay some very unfortunate truth on them.

"It's all a lie." That caught the team's attention. "The Citadel, the relays, none of it was built by the Protheans. They, like us, merely discovered them. The whole thing was built eons ago by a machine-race known as the Reapers. It's complicated, but they basically come around every 50,000 years to harvest, read as kill, all advanced organic life." Shepard stepped through tactical data on the Reapers. A three dimensional view of _Harbinger_ hovered over the table. Jaws dropped, they could read the scale.

"Um," Doctor Jackson spoke up wagging a finger at the image, "We haven't spotted _any_ evidence of these harvests in our travels through the stargate."

"The Reapers are very thorough at covering their tracks."

"Yes, but you would think that there would be _something_."

"The Reapers might not even exist here," responded Major Carter. "We may be dealing with alternate realities rather than _simple_ time travel. This wouldn't be the first time we've seen this."

General Hammond spoke up, "Major, we don't need to get into classified mission reports right now. Please let Commander Shepard continue."

Simple _time travel?_ Shepard shook her head internally and continued, "Over the last several months, at least so far as I'm concerned, the Reapers have been systematically wiping out all space faring organic life in our galaxy." She displayed tactical data recorded during Sword's engagement in Earth orbit, and the London assault with Hammer. As the images played, Shepard looked at SG-1. They seemed horrified, but none more so than Doctor Jackson. It was almost as if he'd seen Earth destroyed before. He wore a haunted expression on his face.

"However, before I came here, I defeated them. It's also _complicated_, but the War is over." Shepard realized that she'd never uttered those words aloud before. _The War is over!_ It felt good. Regardless of what else might have happened, or may be happening now, it felt _good!_

"How?" asked General Hammond.

"It's a long story," was all Shepard could muster. Shepard herself was still trying to figure out what _exactly_ had happened.

O'Neill leaned in close and whispered with the General. Daniel Jackson and Major Carter still studied the projected images intently. The large man named Teal'c steepled his fingers and regarded her stoically. _He certainly is an odd fellow._

"Commander," said Hammond. "You've obviously got a lot you need to tell us, and we're not going to get through it all today. We'll schedule more debriefings. In the meantime, you'll be assigned to guest quarters. Don't consider yourself a prisoner, but we can't let you leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, General."

"Very good…" Hammond was cut off.

"Wow, who's she?" asked O'Neill with a smile.

Shepard looked up to see a picture of herself snuggling with Liara. Her omni-tool must have launched a slide-show application of her personal photos. Shepard smiled. They both wore casual clothing, Liara's was actually rather revealing, _for her at least_, and they sat on the couch in her stateroom on _Normandy_. The scene was so _tender_. _I must have had EDI snap that picture._ Shepard's heart ached. _Beloved, are you truly lost to me?_ Victoria decided to hold out hope, _what else could she do?_ She didn't have enough information yet to know if this was a one-way trip or not. She certainly hoped that wasn't the case. _I love you so much!_

"That's Liara T'soni," she smiled, "she's my wife."

SG-1's collective jaws dropped.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

"Could this person possibly be telling the truth?" asked General Hammond. SG-1 sat around the conference table pondering Victoria Shepard.

Major Carter leaned towards the table, "Well, the multi-world interpretation of quantum physics postulates…"

"Ahhh hah!" interrupted Colonel O'Neill, "Enough of that multi-world stuff." Doctor Jackson and Major Carter shot him a look. Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "If suddenly people can come through the stargate from other realities then we're going to be knee-deep in goatees faster than you can say lame cliché." He paused, "I didn't intend for that to rhyme." O'Neill looked down at the table; he pretended to straighten his note pad. Major Carter grimaced.

"Major, are you saying that she might actually be who she says she is?"

"Yes sir, I am. Remember our experiences with the quantum mirror device." Major Carter tried to contain her enthusiasm. She was all but drooling over Shepard's omni-tool. _And the other equipment! _It was almost too good to be true. Shepard had promised to help her interface the omni-tool with their systems. She seemed hell bent on getting as much data on the Reapers into the hands of the SGC as possible as quickly as possible.

Before the SF troops had escorted her to the VIP quarters Commander Shepard had returned the device to her. She said it was a gesture of _good faith._ One final, longing, look at the image of her _wife_, and Shepard had powered down the small computer and slid it across the table.

"Well, if she's for real, then we have a very serious problem."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, sir," O'Neill cut it. "If these Reapers are out there, then this whole thing with the goa'uld is almost laughably quaint."

"She certainly seems willing to help us," Doctor Jackson chimed in. He was almost as excited as Major Carter at the prospect of interacting with Commander Shepard. In all of their travels through the gate the SGC had only made contact with a few sentient races; the majority of them were surprisingly human-like. This _Citadel Council_ put it all to shame.

"I believe this Commander Shepard is a formidable woman," Teal'c observed, "She is most likely willing to do anything if it achieves her goal of defeating the Reapers. She will only assist us as long as it furthers those goals."

"Yeah, did anyone else notice the look on her face when she was describing the Reaper War?" O'Neill looked at the group. "I've seen that look before. The woman is a _killer_, no doubt about it. I for one think we should stay on her good side."

"Sirs, we may have to face the possibility that the Reapers don't even exist in this reality. If the mass relay network is as expansive as she described, we'd have surely stumbled across the council races by now. Also, we may not be able to send her back to wherever she came from. What will happen when Shepard realizes this?"

"We get her to help us with the goa'uld, however quaint she might think they are," O'Neill said matter-of-factly.

"What if she doesn't want to," Doctor Jackson leaned over the table and interlocked his fingers, "Did you see the look on her face when that picture of her _wife_ came up?"

SG-1 shared a worried expression.

* * *

"I'll be just outside if you need anything ma'am," said the airman with perfunctory politeness.

"Thank you airman," Shepard was already assimilating the lingo, "I'm sorta climbing the walls in here, do you think you could give me a magazine or something to read?"

The security forces trooper pondered that for a moment. "I'll see if I can scrounge something up, ma'am," she said.

"Thank you, airman. I'll let you know if I need anything," she paused, "oh, maybe some clothes that aren't hospital scrubs?" She plucked the green garment away from her chest and shook it slightly in a show of disgust. The SF nodded. "I'd be up for grabbing some chow whenever it's convenient for you." The airman met her gaze and nodded again. There was still confusion and wariness in her expression, but less open hostility than when Shepard had first _arrived._ Truly, Shepard was trying to wheedle information out of the young woman, and a certain measure of politeness could go a long way.

Victoria would settle for anything that had a date on it; a periodical, a novel, _anything_ that could give her a rough idea as to what the year was. Of course, if the powers-that-be here had any foresight at all they'd make sure that there was nothing to _scrounge_, or worse, faked materials. So long as they could keep Shepard in the dark, they could exercise a modicum of control over her.

She had an opportunity to get a jump on the Reapers. Victoria needed to know just how much time she had to play with. She composed a mental list of things that would need to happen; on the top of it was Mars. They needed to get to the archives. It would jump their technology ahead nearly 200 years, _hell, maybe 300 if what I've seen is the best they have to offer_. It would also tell them if the Reapers, and by extension Liara, even existed in this _reality_. Then they could move on to the Charon relay; from there, on to the Citadel. _Those asshole councilors would have to believe her and all of the war data she carried! Wouldn't they?_

The Reapers were priority one, but what about Liara? _Oh Liara, how I miss you,_ Shepard thought to herself. Victoria closed her eyes. She wanted to weep, she wanted to cry out, but she couldn't, they were watching. She looked up at the security camera; she projected an even facial expression despite the inner emotional turmoil. Liara might be lost to her! Her beloved could be gone, and not because she was lost in battle, but because she never existed in the first place. Somehow that was worse. Shepard was a soldier, and so was Liara. Soldiers die. But to never exist in the first place? That wasn't something Shepard could deal with as easily.

Shepard put the thoughts from her mind. She was here and now, wherever and whenever that was. She was going to find a way to destroy the Reapers before the war even started. She was going to protect _this_ Earth from the Reaper menace, just like she had done for _her_ Earth. Then she was going to find a way back to her love.

Or she would die trying.


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Notes:

Welcome to week two. Thank you very much to everyone who has followed this story, I hope you're enjoying it.

I'm still trying to get the hang of publishing in serial, so if I only post a couple of short chapters in one week or a whole mess of them on another please bear with me. If anyone has any advice on that score, I'd love to hear it. As it is, the story might be starting a little slow, so I'll post a bunch this week.

As always, comments, suggestions, requests, and criticisms (keep is constructive/classy) are welcome.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 4:**

"Yes, sir, I understand. Thank you very much, sir." General Hammond returned the red phone to its cradle. Colonel O'Neill arched an eyebrow. "The President says she can stay." O'Neill pumped his fist once in celebration. "Apparently it took some wrangling. The President said he had to use up a bit more political capital than he would have liked to get this past the Appropriations Committee."

"That doesn't surprise me, sir," O'Neill responded. "What bone did we have to throw to the Honorable Senator?"

"All of the intel and any technology we develop through Commander Shepard, and anything we find on Mars. Provided we find anything at all, that is."

"Sounds like we got off light."

"Like I said, he had to use up a lot of capital. Most of it was to keep the Commander's gear with us as well. The President was able to convince the Senator that the SGC would be best able to replicate the technology, if that's even possible at all. Of course, we'll pass everything we learn on to the NID."

"Of course."

"She's been given a Navy commission at the grade of Commander and placed under my command. He's banking on her sense of duty and honor to keep her under our control, since I doubt anything short of lethal force will rein her in if she decides we're no longer serving her interests. I'll keep her in a separate TOE under you for now. I don't know that I want her in command of any of our personnel yet."

"I wasn't expecting that."

"The Senator insisted, actually. I think he was planning on getting the Commander on a 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' charge, cashiering her, and shipping her off to Area 51 for indefinite interrogation." He paused, "She's an avowed lesbian after all," Hammond pointed at the pile of debriefing summaries on his desk.

"That's a load!" O'Neill bristled.

Hammond raised his hands, "I agree, and so does the President." Hammond shifted in his seat; he obviously felt the same way about that particular regulation as Colonel O'Neill did. "He told the Senator that Doctor T'soni wasn't technically a woman, and that he would grant the Commander a presidential pardon on that particular matter if he pushed it. The Senator backed off."

"I bet that didn't win the President any points."

"No." Hammond leaned back in his high-backed leather chair. He looked at the pile of documents, the executive summaries of nearly a solid month's worth of debriefings, "Besides, that isn't even the most troubling bit of information we learned. Not by a long shot."

O'Neill leaned forward and picked up a few of the folders. "Like what, sir? Personally killing 300,000 civilians? Her penchant for unleashing rapidly breeding killer species on the galaxy? Assassinating the head of Earth's surviving government? Or perhaps the whole being dead for two years thing?" Hammond merely scowled at him. "Probably worst is how she got here. _Joining her mind _to the big bad evil machine race, taking control of them for the sake of the galaxy instead of destroying them, ignoring the risk that she wouldn't be _able_ to control them, and then _somehow_ re-substantiating herself here?" Jack paused for breath. "That's science fiction stuff," he paused again, "and that's from a guy who travels to other planets every day for a living." _At least that was the working theory; Shepard doesn't really know what happened to bring her here_, thought O'Neill.

"You're not saying anything that I haven't already thought of myself," replied the General. "The truth of the matter, though, is that if what half of what she's said," he pointed to the documents again, "is true, we're in a whole world of trouble." He paused, "We need her."


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Note:

This chapter dives into Shepard's past a bit. For more detail on Shepard as a person I recommend you read my other work 'Recollections'. In case you haven't read that, she has the spacer/war-hero background.

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

_Knock knock knock…_

"Enter," Shepard heard the deep, slightly muffled, voice through the closed door.

"Teal'c?" Victoria asked as she slowly opened the door. The interior was warmly lit by a dozen candles. She could feel the heat. The flames had raised the air temperature in the small enclosed space by nearly ten degrees. Teal'c sat on a mat on the floor cross-legged, hands folded in his lap. It looked like he was meditating. "If I'm disturbing you, I can come back later."

"That is quite alright, Commander Shepard. I have just completed my kelno'reem. Please come in." Teal'c stood and offered her a seat at a small table. Victoria entered the room, assessing her new surroundings. The décor was Spartan, but the candles, which Teal'c moved about extinguishing, gave it a homey feel.

"Kelno'reem?" asked Shepard.

"It is a deep meditation. It allows my symbiote to regenerate my body. It is analogous to your sleep.

"I had heard that you weren't human," she paused, looked him up and down, and continued, "You're the most human-like alien I've ever met." Teal'c merely closed his eyes, smiled pleasantly, and bowed his head slightly in response. "I'm going batty locked up in this mountain," Victoria said, "Sitting here, waiting to find out what they'll do with me; all the while the Reapers are out there." She motioned aggressively towards the ceiling. _Control Shepard,_ she thought to herself, _this man is a stranger to you, keep under control._ Teal'c said nothing, observing her stoically. "How did you assimilate into this outfit?" Shepard was somewhat surprised with herself. She hardly ever opened up to anyone like this; certainly not since coming _here_.

Teal'c pondered that question for a moment, and then replied, "With a great deal of help and understanding from the members of SG-1."

"They just accepted you? Didn't you command the military of one of their enemies? This is a pot calling the kettle black," Teal'c arched an eyebrow, "but aren't you a war criminal?"

"Indeed. I was First Prime in the service of Apophis."

"And they just welcomed you into the fold?"

"Some were less accepting than others. But the Tau'ri are a welcoming people," he paused, "and good judges of character."

"Incredible," Shepard blurted. Teal'c arched his eyebrow again. Victoria tried to wrap her head around what Teal'c had just said. _Could they really be that trusting?_ She also wondered if that last comment was a polite dig against her. Even if it were, she was convinced that he was being truthful. "Do you think they'll accept me?" _Was she afraid?_

"Do you believe they should not accept you, Commander Shepard?"

_Do you always answer a question with a question?_ Shepard couldn't help but think. Still, Teal'c had hit the nail on the head. She was concerned that she would not only be rejected as a member of the SGC, but be prevented from taking any active role in preparing Earth for the Reapers. That would invalidate all of her sacrifice, and the sacrifices of everyone who died fighting the Reapers in her _reality_ or _time_ or _whatever_. It was almost as much a personal insult as it would be a global catastrophe for the human race.

There was more to it than that, however. On a deep personal level, Victoria Shepard didn't know if she was _worthy_ of these people's company. These people were defending the Earth from powerful enemies with almost archaic technology. _Is this what it was like immediately after the Prothean Discovery; a slipshod boot-strapped approach to space exploration and global defense? Am I worthy to serve with such pioneers?_

"I've," Shepard paused, almost unable to go on, "I've done monstrous things, Teal'c. You're not the only war criminal in this room."

Shepard balled a fist under the table, she hoped Teal'c didn't notice. _Control yourself, Shepard!_ But she couldn't, this was all too much for her. Shepard had lived a life of near constant fear and brutal violence. The last few years had been especially taxing. She doubted she would have borne up as well as she had if not for her friends, her _family_. But they were gone. Anderson was dead. Liara? _I love you so much! Will I ever see you again?_ Shepard closed her eyes. She could see her beloved clearly in her own mind. But it wasn't enough. She needed friends here, she needed family. Somehow she could relate to this Teal'c fellow, but did he even care?

"Do you refer to the Bahak system, Commander Shepard?" Shepard opened her eyes. Teal'c looked at her with an even facial expression. There was no judgment in his eyes. He _knew._ He'd _been there_.

"Yes," responded Victoria, "and Elysium." Teal'c arched an eyebrow. Clearly Teal'c had read some of her debriefing files, but not all of them. Or, at least, not the details of her Elysium experience. "When I was 22, I was on shore leave on a world called Elysium." She shifted her weight and sat on one of her legs. Teal'c could obviously tell that she was uncomfortable, but he let her continue without comment. "Slavers, Batarians mostly, attacked the colony. They killed most of the colony's defense forces in the opening salvo. Within the first few minutes I was the highest ranking officer on the entire planet." She paused, looked off into space for a moment, and continued, "I was drunk and naked, in some woman's bed. I picked her up in a bar, a hell of a dancer. I can't even remember her name." Teal'c said nothing, he observed her stoically.

"Suddenly it was all on _me_; thousands of slavers trying to sack a colony of defenseless civilians. It was up to me to stop them, to keep them from grabbing slaves and killing the locals."

"Did you succeed, Commander Shepard?"

"Yes. We held until the Alliance showed up. But I couldn't save all of them. I watched people herded into pens and shipped offworld. I killed scores of civilians that I knew I couldn't reach in time rather than let that happen to them. I personally killed dozens of Batarians. Stabbed or blew them up in their sleep. Set fire to their wounded. I remember watching them burn and laughing. _Laughing! _It felt so good to do it. I _enjoyed_ it!" She stopped and looked at Teal'c. There was no emotion on his face; no empathy, but nor was there any judgment.

"You know what happened to me?" She smirked, "They gave me a medal. The _Star of Terra_, I'm a hero of the Alliance. It's the highest honor they've got. They gave it to me for murdering people, and enjoying it."

Teal'c said nothing. He merely regarded her. After a few moments, he spoke. "Do you feel these past events should prevent you from joining the Tau'ri in the defense of this world?"

"Shouldn't they?" Teal'c did not respond. Perhaps she was being unreasonable. Maybe it was just the lack of activity which was prompting her to dwell on the past. Maybe things would be better once she was in action again; doing something, doing _anything_. "You know, I haven't ever told that story to anyone except my mother." Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "Though I think Liara has seen glimpses of it in the bond; what few times we've had the opportunity to be intimate."

There was a knock at the door. Teal'c rose to open it and Doctor Jackson entered. She stood. "Thanks for the chat Teal'c. I appreciate it." Teal'c nodded in response.

"Yeah, you need to be careful with this guy," Daniel Jackson said, "You get him started, he's liable to talk your ear off."

"Indeed," replied Shepard.

Teal'c's eyebrow rose a good three centimeters.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Doctor Daniel Jackson regarded the Spectre. In a word she was terrifying. Large, powerful, an admitted killer of men _and aliens_, she was a near force of nature. But, at the moment, she seemed _vulnerable_. Slightly flushed, a glisten in the eye, _was she crying?_ Jackson was secretly relieved that she had reached out to Teal'c. Out of all of the SGC, Teal'c could probably best relate to her. Teal'c was an excellent sounding board, and, while he rarely spoke, when he did it was usually profound. Daniel truly hoped that he could help Shepard find a modicum of peace in her new situation.

"Oh, Commander Shepard," Daniel said, "something came for you in the mail." _Who the hell knows you're here?_ Jackson was confused, and he wasn't the only one. This morning a package had arrived at The Mountain's administrative center. Addressed to 'CDR V. Shepard (USN)', the duty clerk had no idea what to do with it until he happened to mention it to Chief Master Sergeant Harriman. After the Security Forces troopers had a chance to scan it for booby-traps Walter had carried it down to the SGC and handed it to Jackson.

Daniel handed Shepard the box. He looked at it as she tore it open with a smile on her face. _She actually smiles?_ Then he caught a glimpse of the return address, _Kinkos of Colorado Springs?_ "Call me Victoria," Shepard said as she unwrapped the item. Her smile widened.

"What is it," he paused, "Victoria?" asked Jackson.

Shepard turned the framed photo to show a portrait of Liara T'soni. She beamed at him from behind the glass in the simple wooden frame. _Wow, she has such a beautiful smile._ "I uploaded a photo of Liara to one of the local printing places. I had them frame it and send it back to me." She looked at the photo longingly.

"I'm surprised that security let you upload a picture like that. Seems like a pretty huge security breach."

"I didn't tell them. They let me on to your _internet_," she said that last word with a bit of a scowl, "so I could look up some Martian imagery on your JPL's website. I took the opportunity to have this photo printed up." She paused, "For when I don't have access to my omni-tool." She sighed.

"I don't mean to rain on your parade," responded Daniel, "but sending a photo of an extra-terrestrial outside of this base is a pretty big no-no. We strive to maintain a low profile…" he let that last sentence hang there. _This is not the sort of behavior I would expect from a _squared away_ professional like this woman,_ Daniel thought.

"Don't sweat it Doctor Jackson," she looked at him with a smirk, "I told them that it was some artwork for a video game that's in development."

"Daniel, please. They bought it?"

"Yeah, in the confirmation email I got they asked when the game would be released." She paused, "I told them the game studio had just been bought out by a larger firm, the game was in development limbo, and things weren't looking good. They seemed a bit saddened by that."

Daniel couldn't help but chuckle at that. He could only imagine what General Hammond would say about the security breach when he found out, but he hoped that he would understand. Daniel certainly knew _he_ understood what Shepard must be feeling. Not a day went by when he didn't mourn the loss of his beloved Sha're. Sometimes the fond memories of his departed wife were all that kept him going.

Daniel motioned towards his lab and they walked down the corridor. "Tell me about her, Victoria?" he asked as they entered the lab. He motioned to an empty stool, and Victoria took a seat. Shepard placed the framed photo on the lab table and looked at it. She was obviously madly in love with Liara, that much was clear to Daniel. Moreover, to Shepard, Liara was a link to her own world. Shattered and destroyed by war or not, it was home. She pined for it.

"She was," Shepard paused, obviously trying to collect her thoughts, "smart, and caring, and _so_ kind. There's nothing she wouldn't do for a friend." She paused again. Her gaze seemed to wander towards infinity. "She seemed so innocent when I met her, naive." She laughed, "You know, it sounds funny when I say that out loud. She's almost 80 years older than me. But, she seemed so young in those early days. 106 is barely an adult by Asari standards." Shepard sounded almost wistful.

"She was awkward, at first." Shepard chuckled. "She liked her dig sites, preferred to be alone. She didn't really know how to interact with people; it was all rather comical at first. She'd get so flustered trying to talk to me, everything she said came out sounding weird." She smiled.

"After I died she grew up," her facial expression changed as she continued. Now she looked saddened. "She became cold, and aggressive. She was a much _harder_ woman when I met up with her again after my resurrection." She sighed, "But I still loved her, even more than before." She looked at Daniel, "Being dead sorta made me appreciate life a bit more. Ya know?"

Daniel nodded in agreement. "How did you meet?" he asked. He already knew the answer, of course. He had listened to the debriefing recordings. Somehow, though, he thought he'd get a slightly different answer than a nameless intelligence officer in an interrogation room.

"You mean you didn't hear the story on the recordings?" Shepard asked with more than a hint of sarcasm. Daniel could tell that Shepard knew why he was asking, though. He wasn't looking for _intel_. He just wanted to get to know her. _So, is she going to open up or not? Apparently yes,_ he thought as Shepard continued to speak.

"Well," she leaned back and rested an elbow on the tabletop, "we had determined that the Matriarch Benezia, Liara's mother, was helping Saren in doing whatever it was that he was doing. At the time, of course, we didn't know what that really was. Though, _Reapers_," she made a substantial set of 'air quotes' with her hands, "certainly sounds ominous, no?" Daniel nodded, _yes, that certainly does sound scary._ "We really didn't have much in the way of leads, so I decided to take _Normandy_ to find her."

Daniel reached out and motioned to the photograph. Shepard handed it to him. Daniel looked at Doctor T'soni. She was very pretty, there was no denying it. Light blue skin, faint freckles, she smiled warmly at the camera. The swooping scalp folds reminded him of long hair blowing in the wind. "Go on?"

"We had to fight through a lot of Geth to even get to her. She was stuck in a Prothean security barrier deep underground." She smiled, "She was so confused when we showed up. She didn't know who we were. I asked her about her mother and she became incredulous. I knew at that moment that she wasn't an enemy."

"When did you realize you loved her?" Daniel asked.

Shepard laughed. "Would you believe the moment I laid eyes on her?"

Daniel merely smiled, "I know exactly what that's like." He did. He knew he loved Sha're the moment he met her. She was so fearless, so indignant at being offered to him as a gift. He knew it was hard to describe, so when Shepard didn't elaborate further he didn't press. Daniel paused for a moment, "When did you know she loved you back?"

Shepard was silent for a few moments, pondering. "I think it was when she implied that she wanted to dissect my brain." There was an awkward silence. They both burst out laughing. Shepard smiled as she reached out and picked up a similarly framed photo of Jackson's late wife. Her smile faded. Her eyes seemed to lose their luster. "She's gone, isn't she?"

Daniel stopped smiling himself, "Yes. She was taken by a goa'uld. She's dead now."

Shepard closed her eyes and placed the photo on the table. "They're all gone. They probably never even existed." Victoria was obviously not talking about his wife. She was silent for some time.

Daniel heard a rustling at the door, "Commander?" asked Major Carter.

Shepard snapped out of the trance. Daniel was startled, the transition was so sudden. "Yes Major? What can I do for you?"

"I've checked some of your equipment out of the armory. Do you have some time to give me an overview?"

Daniel watched as Shepard stood, picked up the photo of Liara, and moved to leave the room. She paused suddenly and turned, "Thank you Daniel," she said in a surprisingly soft voice. "Can we pick this up again sometime soon?"

Jackson was too floored to say anything beyond, "Sure."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Shepard field stripped the N7 Valiant sniper rifle in a practiced blur. Major Carter looked on intently. "All modern weapons basically consist of an ammunition block, a mass effect field generator, a thermal management system, a barrel, and the frame/stock/trigger group. A small projectile is shaved off of the ammunition block," she held up an innocuous piece of metal, "its mass is reduced to near zero by the mass effect generator," she pointed to an innocent looking self-contained unit, "it is accelerated to high velocity, and exits the barrel," she pointed to the barrel. Aside from the trigger group, it was the only piece of technology that Major Carter could recognize. "This, necessarily, generates heat, which is dumped to the heat sink here," she held up a spare thermal clip. "For this type of weapon, you can get three shots off before the thermal clip is saturated and needs replacement. You cannot fire again until a fresh one is inserted." She handed the thermal clip to the Major, "You'll need to figure out a way of manufacturing more of those, or I only have what ammunition I came through with. I _believe_ that is within your manufacturing capability." Major Carter scowled slightly at that last comment. It was an obvious dig against the SGC's technical capability, _and the Earth's at large_.

Shepard was happy to be out of her 'guest quarters'. Over the past month she had developed a rapport with the members of SG-1 in between the seemingly unending series of debriefings. While they were mostly a blur, she did remember some of the questioning. The majority of it was bothersome. She would have rather been preparing for the Reapers.

Still, some of the topics were, obviously, of paramount importance:

_Describe Reaper military forces; numbers, armaments, tactics, strengths and weaknesses, and disposition of fleets and ground units throughout the galaxy, particularly Earth. Describe _indoctrination_. Describe the Reaper invasion of Earth, sequence of events, and areas of possible improvements. Similarly, describe the re-conquest of Earth by allied forces. Describe the military organization of the Systems Alliance; including the member nations of the Alliance on Earth itself, the military forces of the other Council Races, military forces of non-Council Races, the Geth, the Rachni, and of terminus systems organizations. Describe military tactics, intelligence gathering techniques and technologies, espionage organizations, vehicles, ships, and weapons systems employed by the Systems Alliance and other races. _

Other topics were more asinine:

_Describe the Unified Banking Act, the system of fiscal governance of the Citadel Council, and how it relates to currency markets on Earth. What is the Alliance Military's policy on inter-species relationships, legal recognition of same, and the dispositioning of property and children (where possible) across species boundaries? What mechanisms are employed to prevent copyright infringement and protect intellectual property across the extra-net?_

Some were quaintly bigoted:

_Describe the moral justification for permitting inter-species relationships involving Alliance military personnel. Describe same for homosexual relationships or those outside of the _'traditional definition of marriage' _amongst humans. _

And some topics were down-right personal:

_Describe your relationship with Doctor Liara T'soni, and any other aliens you may have engaged in sexual relations with. Describe Asari physiology, particularly related to the _'bonding' _process and procreation with other species. Have you ever divulged, intentionally or unintentionally, Alliance military secrets while engaged in sexual activity with an Asari?_

The most frank, however:

_Do you love Doctor Liara T'soni? Did you forgo destroying the Reapers outright and risk failing to control the Reaper forces in an attempt to reunite with her? Did you re-substantiate yourself here in an attempt to reunite with her? Will you disobey orders of those appointed above you in an attempt to reunite with her if the opportunity arises?_

She still wasn't sure how she got here, but the answer to that last question was, of course, _yes. But she wouldn't tell _them_ that_.

And, finally:

_Will you help defend Earth from offworld threats, be they the Reapers or other extra-terrestrial forces?_

The answer to that question, too, was _yes_!

Shepard returned to the present and continued, "Unless we can track down some more eezo, we'll never be able to replicate the working bits." Shepard began reassembling the rifle. "Same goes for my pistol, omni-tool, bio-amp, and the kinetic barriers in my armor." The rifle came together with similar rapidity. Victoria placed it on the work bench and pressed a button near the trigger group. The rifle folded into its stowed configuration with a beep. Carter smiled.

"Do you know how to synthesize element zero?" Carter asked.

"No, Major. As I recall it's a byproduct of supernovae. Most is mined near neutron stars and pulsars. I'd suggest looking there."

"We've scouted a few such places, but we've never detected anything like it."

"I wish I could help you more on that, Major," Shepard said truthfully. "If we're going to get ready for the Reapers we're going to need a lot of it. Tali was the engineer, I just shoot stuff." Shepard smiled at the Major, "You remind me of her." Carter grinned. "Same cute smile." Carter blushed a bit and leaned back. "Relax Major, I'm spoken for," she winked.

Major Carter bit her lip in thought. She was all but _geeking out_ over the equipment Commander Shepard was sharing with her, but another problem was gnawing at her intellect. What if eezo just couldn't exist in their _reality_, or whatever one would call it. _No, that didn't quite track_, she thought to herself. Eezo could obviously _exist_ in her reality; Commander Shepard was full of the stuff. Maybe it just couldn't be _created_ here.

"Well, multi-verse theory posits that there are an infinite number of infinitely variable universes." Shepard nodded, she was following so far. Despite not having a formal education in engineering, Shepard was frighteningly smart. Even in Carter's time the Navy was a highly technical service branch, all officers necessarily had at least _some_ scientific aptitude. "We've encountered other _realities_ that were very similar to our own, though with certain events that turned out differently."

"You're not going to start talking about classified mission reports?" Shepard politely reminded Carter of what General Hammond had said when she'd first arrived.

"No," Carter frowned, "I can't yet, though we can still speak in theoreticals." Shepard leaned back on the work bench and crossed her arms over her breasts. She smiled and waited for the Major to continue. "Perhaps one of the differentiating factors between where you came from and where you are now, is in the formation of eezo?"

Shepard smiled. "One plus one equals three." Carter's jaw literally dropped. She stood there for a moment pondering. A broad smile crossed her face. Shepard smiled in response, "No, I was wrong. Your smile is cuter."

"You think the underlying math of our universes might be different?" Carter said ignoring Shepard's latest comment. "That's why we've never seen element zero before?"

"It's certainly possible Major Carter. I just recalled something EDI told me once."

"Your AI?"

"Well, not _my_ AI, she's fully sentient and considered by most of us to be an independent person. But yeah." Victoria closed her eyes trying to remember EDI's exact words. _"Our laws of physics may only occur in a finite area, a bubble if you will. If you went far enough out, or created enough energy, you could reach a place where one plus one equaled three. All energy, all matter, all math would be different."_ She opened her eyes, "Well, that's paraphrased, I'm afraid I don't have an eidetic memory."

Carter nodded, "That's actually still pretty profound. What brought that up?"

Shepard sighed, "Liara asked."

Carter frowned, "You really miss her, don't you?"

"That's an understatement, Major." Shepard looked at the floor. Then she looked at the photograph she had placed on the work bench. She closed her eyes.

Carter caught a glimpse as to how much Shepard was actually suffering. She had been expending a non-trivial amount of effort to mask just how much she missed Liara. Somehow, though, it seemed Shepard was relating to her. She was letting her in, bit by bit. It pained Samantha to see someone so out of place and hurting. The situation reminded her of the time she met her doppelganger from another reality. She too had just lost everything. Major Carter decided then and there that she'd do whatever she could to get Commander Shepard home. Hopefully circumstance, _and orders_, would permit that to happen.

"Commander, we'll figure out a way to get you home. Somehow. I promise."

"But in the meantime," O'Neill appeared in the doorway, "I have a consolation prize for you." He held out a piece of paper to Commander Shepard. "Welcome to the United States Navy, Commander Shepard." He looked at the framed photograph. Apparently the United Parcel Service thought she was in the Navy too.

Shepard took the page tentatively and looked it over. "I've been placed under your command," she looked up at Colonel O'Neill. "So you'll be looking to order me around? Fight the goa'uld, whoever they are? You realize that the Reapers are the real threat, right?" Shepard sounded incredulous, the goa'uld were _beneath_ her.

O'Neill wasn't expecting this to go smoothly. Still, it needed to be this way, and Shepard needed to understand that. "Commander," he continued reasonably, "the condition for you remaining free is that you join our command structure. If you can't deal with that, they'll shove you in a box in Area 51. You'll never get an opportunity to help us prepare for the Reapers, and you'll certainly never get a chance to try to find a way back to where you came from. You'll never see Liara again."

A faint mass effect field flickered into view about her body. Carter and O'Neill jumped back. Shepard regained control almost immediately and the field dissipated. "I don't respond well to threats, Colonel." She looked into O'Neill's eyes, to her surprise he didn't flinch. "I'm going to do what I need to do to keep Earth safe. Reapers, goa'uld, doesn't much matter; I'm not going to back away from a threat." She paused, "But I won't tolerate you using Liara as a lever."

O'Neill nodded. Despite the borderline insubordination, he appreciated and agreed with that sentiment. Deep down, he knew he'd enjoy working with Shepard. They just needed to get used to each other before things would go smoothly. "Well, now that that's sorted out, you've got a choice." He held up two gold pins. "The President has authorized you for our equivalents for all of your decorations. Unfortunately, there aren't any women in Navy Special Warfare or Submarine Warfare, so I can't give you a Navy SEAL or submariner badge. You'd draw too much attention. So, do you want to be a naval aviator?" he held up his left hand. "Or would you rather be a surface warfare officer?" he held up his right hand. Before Shepard could respond, O'Neill continued, "Also we can't give you a ribbon for the Medal of Honor, which is what we think your Star of Terra is equivalent to, that'd attract _way_ too much attention." He paused and shrugged, "Sorry."

Shepard scowled, _irrelevancies_, "So, when are we going to Mars?"


	9. Chapter 8

**Author's Note**:

Welcome to week three. Now that we're into the meat of the story, I think I'll be posting two or three chapters per week.

In case you didn't see the note I added to the first chapter: The question was asked as to when in the SG-1 series this story is taking place.

I originally said that I envisioned this story taking place just before Daniel Jackson dies/ascends. And that for artistic purposes, we'd just say that this story, in its entirety, takes place between the episode before Jackson dies, and the episode in which he dies/ascends. I checked through the SG-1 wiki again, and it looks like I was mistaken. What I meant to say is that this all takes place right towards the beginning of SG-1 Season 5. So, definitely before Daniel Jackson dies, but also before Anubis begins to show up as well.

Sorry for the confusion, I feel a bit of a jerk for making the mistake. :-P

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 8**:

Shepard climbed into her armor for the first time in nearly two months. Aside from her omni-tool they had kept most of her equipment away from her except for during a few supervised demonstrations. Those were nearly as bothersome as the endless debriefing sessions she'd been subjected to, _and twice as counterproductive_. Shepard still had no idea if Major Carter, Doctor Lee, and the SGC's team of engineers could manufacture more thermal clips; the idea of burning through a few to give some political flunkies from Washington a show irked Victoria immensely.

_Still, it certainly felt good to shoot something,_ Victoria thought to herself. _That_ surprised her. She wanted nothing more than to leave all of that in her past. She wanted to retire with Liara and start making little blue babies; _lots of them!_ Shepard sighed to herself. _Maybe that's no longer a possibility_, she thought sadly. She pushed the fear from her mind. That would come to a resolution soon, one way or the other. In the meantime, she'd just have to settle for blowing shit up.

Consequently, the biotics show 'n tell in particular stood out in her memory. Not so much that it was an opportunity to wreak some serious havoc, but because she decided not to. _And not just because I could have brought the mountain down on my head, either,_ she thought. Victoria had barely given them half of what she was capable of; some throws and pulls, and not much else. They were also still unaware that she could do some serious damage without her bio-amp which was kept under lock and key when not in supervised use. She still didn't trust these people. Keeping _something_ in reserve seemed like a good idea. _Save it for a rainy day._

But today was different. She was a woman of action, and today was the day they took their first steps against the Reapers. Shepard moved with purpose. She actually turned a few heads in the locker room when she stripped naked without a second thought and started dressing. _Prudes._ It felt like a second skin, literally. She was home.

Major Carter had kept her word. Her N7 combat armor was un-damaged, despite the best efforts of Doctor Lee and the rest of the SGC science corps to pick it apart. Shepard slipped her omni-tool into a protected pouch on her belt and powered up the device. A quick diagnostic test verified that the armor and bio-amp were in good condition. She placed her helmet upon her head, prepped for vacuum but left the face plate open, and looked at her heads up display. All systems green; _game time._

* * *

"So where's the _Spectre_?" Colonel O'Neill asked while he checked over his P90 sub-machinegun. Everything was in order. He nodded to the armorer who withdrew after handing another to Major Carter.

Carter chambered a round on her own P90, engaged the safety, and looked at the Colonel. "Last I saw her she was connecting her armor's _plumbing_," she grimaced.

"Ouch," interjected Doctor Jackson as he pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Is that really necessary? We're only going to be EVA for a few hours, and not for the better part of a week."

"Procedure, going into potential combat," Carter paused, "Apparently she's trained to spend several weeks in the armor without removing it. The power cell is good for at least a month." She shrugged, "Besides, she said she could always take it off and relax on the ship."

"A whole month?" Jack shivered at the thought of being plumbed into anything for that long. _And relief tubes for males are a relatively simple affair, _he thought.

"Well, she certainly applied enough baby powder," Carter's voice trailed off as Commander Shepard strode into the gate room.

"Colonel," she snapped off a textbook perfect salute despite the body armor. Then she turned to retrieve her weapons from an armorer who looked not a little uncomfortable holding the _space weapons_, as they had come to be called.

"Commander," Jack replied, tipping his olive drab baseball cap.

O'Neill recalled the first debriefing with Shepard. Then she was defiant, powerful, determined; even in hospital scrubs. _Now_ she was downright terrifying. Barefoot Shepard stood nearly 6'-2" with a muscled tri-athlete's build, dressed in armor she was enormous. She had _presence_. Jack quietly longed for the day she faced off against a squad of Jaffa; he could picture them running in terror.

With practiced hands Shepard's pistol smoothly clicked into place at her waist and folded into brick no larger than a paperback novel. Victoria elected to keep the sniper rifle deployed and at the ready. She worked the charging lever, examined the weapon, and thanked the armorer who seemed relieved for the chance to back away from the scary lady in the _robot armor_.

Commander Shepard walked over to SG-1. She nodded her head respectfully to Teal'c. He returned the gesture. They had developed a substantial rapport, much to O'Neill and Carter's surprise. "Ready when you are," she said.

O'Neill looked her up and down one more time, _shit she's scary looking,_ and raised his voice, "Dial us up, Walter!" The stargate began its dialing sequence.

"Ever been to Mars before, Colonel?" Shepard asked. She smiled evenly beneath her helmet's open face-shield. O'Neill was somewhat taken aback. He had never seen her smile except on the surveillance camera in her quarters, usually when looking at still images or videos of Liara on her omni-tool. It was sufficiently rare to be noteworthy.

"No, this will be my first time," O'Neill replied. "First time for anyone, actually." Of course the stargate couldn't take them directly to Mars. They'd be gating to a small un-inhabited world roughly three-dozen light-years from Earth. After a few biotic demonstrations that Shepard and Carter thought would be too dangerous to undertake inside the mountain, they'd rendezvous with Jacob Carter and a Tok'ra transport ship. Another few days or so spaceflight and they'd be back in the Sol system. It was a roundabout way of doing things, but the SGC still didn't yet have a _reliable_ FTL capability of its own. _Hopefully that'll change after this little trip,_ Jack thought to himself.

"Interesting place, Mars," Shepard said evenly. "Do you want to know the names of the first astronauts to step foot on the red planet in my time?" She arched an eyebrow. O'Neill was beginning to worry; this was not the brooding severe Shepard he had come to know over the past couple of months. She seemed almost cheerful. _Pre-combat jitters?_ Jack wondered to himself.

"Big Mars colony? Maybe a football team?" O'Neill asked as the third chevron locked into place.

"Backwater, Colonel," Shepard replied. The fourth chevron locked, "After we discovered the relays we found plenty of Earth-like worlds," the fifth chevron locked into place, "wasting time on Mars didn't seem worth it." _Wasting time?_ O'Neill thought. He found the idea that someone would consider colonizing Mars a _waste_ of time _alien_. _What kind of person is this Shepard?_ The sixth chevron locked, "It's been declared a preserve. Mostly off limits to people who aren't authorized to research the Archives."

"Chevron seven, locked!" Walter's voice boomed through the loudspeakers. The stargate opened with a flash of blue light and the _woosh_ of the formation vortex. Despite the tough exterior, and the space-aged body armor, Shepard jumped back in surprise. O'Neill chuckled to himself, _everyone is shocked the first time._

* * *

The ancient looking rover that the locals called a MALP trundled through the event horizon. Shepard recalled the briefing material, _they were finally letting her in on operational details_, the MALP would check to make sure the other side of the gate was clear, and then they would follow it through. Arrayed behind them was a pair of cargo rovers with SG-1's EVA gear.

Shepard walked slowly up the ramp towards the event horizon. It was beautiful. Somewhere, deep in her memory, it looked _familiar_. She still couldn't remember all of the details of what had happened, of what she _was_, before she had arrived in the SGC. Though, it was _definitely_ familiar. Shepard heard the clank of boots on the grated ramp as Major Carter approached her. "Pretty spectacular, huh?"

Shepard held her hand out. She let her fingertips play along the event horizon's surface. The shimmering 'pool of water' seemed to react slightly to their passing. "It's the same color as Liara's skin," Shepard said. Carter was conspicuously quiet. Shepard remembered the feel of Liara's flesh; warm, smooth, inviting, _comforting_. She remembered the night before they assaulted the Illusive Man's base. Despite the nightmare, she wished she never had to leave that bed. Shepard closed her eyes, _I'll see you again someday, beloved._ But she didn't feel anything here, despite the high-sensitivity gauntlet fingertips. There was nothing. _Please don't be lost to me._

"SG-1," General Hammond's voice boomed through the speaker system, "you have a go." The MALP must have reported all clear on the other side.

"The first time is always a bit strange," said Major Carter and Shepard lowered and locked her helmet's visor. "The trick is to exhale a little bit just before…" Without warning Shepard leapt through the event horizon. "Or you can do that."


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**:

Victoria Shepard's second experience in stargate travel was certainly less traumatizing than her first. _If you could even call whatever _that _was _travel_, _she thought. Transiting a stargate was definitely different than jumping through a mass relay too. She actually perceived a finite passage of time, and the _light show_ was rather amazing. Exiting on the far side was a bit disorienting, _Carter wasn't kidding about exhaling before entry._ She nearly stumbled, but for her ballerina-like grace.

A fraction of a second after arrival, Shepard switched into combat mode. She raised her N7 Valiant rifle to her shoulder and scanned the immediate surroundings. The stargate was in a small clearing in a wooded area. The MALP sat passively where it had stopped a few meters beyond the stargate's stone pedestal. To her right was the Dial-Home Device, _cute name._ It all seemed so peaceful. _Nice to visit an alien planet and not immediately have something try to kill me._

The members of SG-1 came through the gate. They, like Shepard, raised their weapons and searched the immediate area for threats. Finding none they waited for the cargo rovers, and got down to business.

Carter, ever the engineer, had put together a _test plan_. They dialed another gate the SGC knew to be on an uninhabited world. They sent the MALP through, _no one home._

Shepard enveloped one of the cargo rovers, sans EVA gear, in a mass effect field and pushed it through the stargate. _Success_, the MALP showed it arriving safely on a small video monitor Carter had stashed in her backpack. Samantha scrutinized the small LCD display, it appeared that the Cherenkov-blue of the mass effect field didn't persist on the far side of the gate. Carter inferred that the mass effect field didn't carry through, and the objects regained their original mass on the far side.

Shepard tried to _pull_ the rover back through the gate. _Failure,_ it seemed that biotics couldn't reach _backwards_ through an active wormhole.

Doctor Jackson and Teal'c traversed the gate and dialed back. Shepard tried to pull the same rover _forwards_ through an active wormhole. _Failure, _Doctor Jackson, Teal'c, and the rover returned.

For the last test Carter did not want to risk a rover. She handed Shepard a bag of spare MRE's and then took cover behind one of the rovers with the rest of SG-1. Major Carter closely monitored her link to the MALP as Shepard enveloped the bag in a mass effect field, and threw it through the stargate; _the wrong way._

"Holy shit!" Carter cried after the bag had transited, _it actually transited_, the wormhole. The stargate flickered and disconnected abruptly. Shepard turned to look at SG-1. "I think we're going to need another MALP," she said pointing to a spike of data on the display. Colonel O'Neill looked at it dubiously; obviously not understanding what the data were telling him. "I'm glad we didn't use the SGC gate as a target. Look at that gamma pulse!" Shepard matched gazes with O'Neill, he simply shrugged.

"What happened Major?" asked Shepard.

"Well," she started excitedly, "normally the stargate is strictly one way. Matter cannot come back to the dialing gate from the destination gate. This isn't true for photons, since they have no mass. That's what allows us to transmit video and voice between the SGC and the MALP or whoever. This last test was to see if your mass effect field could reduce the mass of an object enough that it could travel backwards through the stargate." Shepard wasn't an engineer, but that seemed fairly straight forward.

"I presume it didn't work?"

"Not _exactly_," Carter was obviously geeking out a bit. The thought that she had just destroyed a few million dollars' worth of MALP no longer registered. "The bag…"

"Which contained half of our food, by the way," O'Neill interrupted with a raised finger. "Not that I'm a fan of the 'four fingers of death' myself," he mumbled to Doctor Jackson.

"The bag," Carter continued, "did leave this gate and traveled to the originating gate. But it didn't re-materialize." She smiled.

Shepard couldn't help but smile herself. Carter was actually rather cute when she was excited like this, "So what did it do?"

"It exploded!" she said with a grin. "The MALP recorded a very energetic spike of gamma radiation and then the wormhole disconnected. I bet when we have the SGC send another MALP to that gate we'll find the entire surrounding area irradiated and charred."

There was a moment of silence, "Good to know," quipped O'Neill.

"Yeah, note to self," continued Jackson, "Let's not have Shepard do that again."

Victoria was about to respond when they heard a deafening roar from above. "Ahh, looks like Jacob's here," said O'Neill.

* * *

Jack looked up at the hovering tel'tak transport. Say what you want about Selmak, he (_it?_) was an excellent pilot. _Not that Jacob was anything to sneeze at when he was in the Air Force._ He turned his attention to Shepard. She had dropped to a knee and was scanning the tree line for threats interspersed with glances up to the transport. Her facial expressions were impossible to determine through that slit-faceplate, _nice that she doesn't have any of those blasted _'shoot-me lights' _illuminating her face_, but from her posture she definitely looked agitated, alert. _High-gain mode_, Jack thought.

"Shepard," he called.

Commander Shepard turned to look at him, rifle still at the ready. "Colonel?" she replied.

He motioned to her and she rose from her crouch and bounded towards him as he approached one of the cargo rovers. "You and I will board first."

She looked around, "I don't think this clearing is wide enough for that shuttle to land," she said confused.

Jack smiled, "About that…" with a whooshing noise accompanied by a loud buzz a set of rings descended from the belly of the tel'tak and settled around them. Another whoosh and a flash of light and Shepard, much to her surprise, found herself standing in the cargo bay of the shuttle. The internal rings disappeared into the floor with a similar noise.

Obviously startled, Shepard's rifle came back up to her shoulder as she looked around. "What was that?" she asked.

"Transport rings," he replied, "Let's clear the pad so the rest of the team can come up." Still a bit confused Shepard followed as the cargo rover motored towards a bulkhead. "The goa'uld use them to move from ship to ship. You have anything like that in your _place_?"

* * *

"No, actually," she replied as the balance of SG-1 came aboard with the remaining cargo rover. The transport rings had no sooner stowed themselves as Shepard could sense a slight shift in the floor. The transport shuttle was underway. Victoria observed the members of SG-1 unsling their weapons and place them in a neat pile on one of the cargo rovers. They continued to remove their packs and jackets, ending up looking quite casual in their fatigues. Tea'c looked rather dashing in his tightly fitted black t-shirt, _if you were into that sort of thing_, she thought. She briefly imagined Liara wearing one of her form-fitting N7 tank tops, she smiled broadly.

Taking a cue from the rest of the team, Shepard began to relax. She returned her rifle to her back-mount and removed her helmet placing it atop one of the rovers. She looked around. The interior of the shuttle was, in a word, _wrong_. This was neither a starship, nor was it an Egyptian tomb; regardless of the designers attempts to make it both. Shepard remembered visiting the Temple of Dendur at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. She didn't recall seeing gold leaf everywhere. It was ancient, surely worn by the passage of time, but she could never imagine it being so _gaudy._ She was about to ask who _decorated _this place when she heard a _voice_. Deep and warbling in timbre, it cut to her core. _We are Harbinger!_

"We're under way, ETA 81 hours." Her right hand flashed to her hip, her M77 Paladin already deploying. _This attack tears you apart,_ the taunts came roaring through her memory. Shepard's body moved on full automatic. She pivoted and took cover behind the cargo rover. Biotics flashing she leveled her pistol on Selmak. _Preserve Shepard's body if possible._

He merely regarded her, "Is this the Commander Shepard you've been talking about?"

Stunned silence. No one dared move; they feared Shepard might pull the trigger. You could hear a pin drop.

"Commander," O'Neill said softly, "this is Selmak. He's a friend. We don't point guns at friends."

Shepard shook herself back into reality. It was just so startling. The SGC had told her what a tok'ra was, what a symbiote did to its host; in this case with the host's permission. She just wasn't expecting _the voice_. She rose from behind the rover and lowered her pistol. "Sir."

"Are you alright, Commander?" asked Selmak.

Shepard returned her pistol to her belt and spoke, "Just don't go saying _assuming direct control_, and I think we'll all be fine." Her _Harbinger_ impression wasn't quite as good as Selmak's.

Selmak closed his eyes and bowed his head silently for a moment. Jacob Carter raised his head and opened his eyes. He looked at Colonel O'Neill, "Is this lady for real?"

* * *

**Author's Note (3/24/12):**

Looks like I made a mistake in one of my author's notes earlier on, so I figured that I'd drop a revision note here as well as in the original notes. Hopefully everyone who's been reading this story so far will catch it. Sorry for the confusion folks. Hope you're enjoying the story.

I originally said that I envisioned this story taking place just before Daniel Jackson dies/ascends. And that for artistic purposes, we'd just say that this story, in its entirety, takes place between the episode before Jackson dies, and the episode in which he dies/ascends. I checked through the SG-1 wiki again, and it looks like I was mistaken. What I meant to say is that this all takes place right towards the beginning of SG-1 Season 5. So, definitely before Daniel Jackson dies, but also before Anubis begins to show up as well.

Sorry for the confusion, I feel a bit of a jerk for making the mistake.

Still, hope you're enjoying it. Stay tuned for future additions! :)


	11. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:**

Welcome to week four. I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Thank you to everyone who has left comments; I really appreciate the input and questions, keep 'em coming.

A quick clarification, in case I haven't caught you already (I've updated A/N's in previous chapters). I wanted to clarify that this story takes place towards the beginning of Season 5 in SG-1, not at the end as I originally (mistakenly) stated. So, it's before Daniel Jackson's death/ascension, but it's _also_ before Anubis really starts showing up. Sorry for the confusion.

Again, hope you enjoy; comments, suggestions, requests, and criticisms (please keep it constructive/classy) are always welcome.

* * *

**Chapter 10**:

Jack leaned back against his pack and observed. For her part, Shepard was being a good sport about all of this. _A damn sight better than she was during the Air Force and NID debriefings_, he added to himself. Selmak asked no questions about Shepard bringing pirated mp3's back from the future. The tok'ra cared not for the banking infrastructure or fiscal policy of the Citadel races. They sure as hell didn't care about who the Commander took to her bed, what color her skin was, or her _apparent_ gender; the tok'ra were approximately genderless after all. _Too bad,_ Jack thought. He rather liked it when Shepard asked the man from NID if he wanted to know how many freckles Liara had around her navel, or if they knew what part of the Asari body the _azure_ was.

Shepard leaned against a support strut as Selmak asked her _real_ questions. _The nature of eezo, so far as she understood it. The nature of biotics, their uses, and limitations. How mass effect technology has impacted tactical doctrine, engineering design, and infrastructure_. The tok'ra wanted tactical and strategic data on the Reapers; a threat assessment was already underway.

Victoria answered his questions as best she could; though some subjects were just out of her range of experience. Jack didn't detect half of the resentment she had shown to the NID interrogators. She obviously found Selmak's voice off-putting, but she wasn't the only one. Selmak also benefitted from two months' worth of engineering work between Carter and Shepard interfacing the latter's omni-tool with human and tok'ra technology. A wave of a hand, a flash of orange holography, and the tok'ra knew everything about the other _place_ as Stargate Command.

Selmak closed his eyes and bowed his head. Jacob opened his eyes and looked at Shepard, "How are you doing kid?"

Shepard, startled, looked Jacob in the face. "Not well, sir."

"I can't imagine what this is like for you," Jacob said, "Neither can Selmak."

Shepard pondered that for a moment. "Sir, what's it like? Having that _thing_ in your head?" She almost looked _disgusted_. At least Jacob didn't seem to take offense. _Shepard certainly had an _excuse_._

"It's a bit strange," he replied, "but Selmak is a really interesting character once you get to know it." He paused, "I don't think it's like this _indoctrination_ you've been describing, if that's what you mean. It's more of a conversation, not subversion."

Shepard pondered, "I think I know what you mean."

* * *

She could tell that her response confused him. "What you're describing sounds a lot like _the bond_; that mental connection that an Asari can form with her partner." Shepard suddenly felt wistful. She missed Liara so much, and feared that she may never see her beloved again, but she also mourned the loss of the bond itself. To feel so close to someone, _anyone_, was a joyous experience; doubly so with the one she loved. _Please don't be lost to me_.

SG-1's ears perked up, Shepard didn't often talk about her _personal_ experiences. "In the joining, two individuals become one. Thoughts, feelings, desires, sensations; they all intertwine. As Liara put it, an Asari and her mate cease to be separate individuals, but combine into one rapturous whole." She couldn't remember her exact words, but that was pretty close to what she told her in her little alcove behind the med-bay; it seemed like so long ago.

"Do you describe a spiritual experience, Commander Shepard?" Teal'c asked. His query surprised the other members of SG-1 somewhat. Shepard wasn't quite sure if it was because he was a man of few words, or some other underlying reason she wasn't familiar with. _Though, he _does _strike me as the spiritual sort,_ she thought.

Shepard chuckled and smirked, "You know, that's _exactly_ what I said to her when she first described it to me." She paused and looked off into infinity, "That seems like ages ago, she was so _young_ then. Innocent. We had no idea what was coming." She frowned and looked at the floor.

A pregnant silence.

"Well," Jack piped up, "I can't wait to meet the Asari." He smiled and looked at the others, a mischievous look on his face.

"You would," quipped Daniel.

Shepard smirked, "Well, Colonel, I imagine the opportunity to join with a member of the 'new species on the block' will be _very_ appealing to a lot of Asari." She let that sink in for a moment. _If they even exist here,_ a dark corner of her psyche whispered. She clenched her jaw, _don't think like that. You _will _find her._

O'Neill looked off into the distance, grin on his face, twinkle in his eye; he was obviously pondering what it might be like to be the object of numerous Asari's attention. Unable to resist, she continued, "You may even catch the eye of a few Matriarchs." Looking O'Neill in the eyes she reached up and cupped her breasts, hefted them in her hands, winked, and let out a long whistle.

"I'm willing to do my part for first contact," Daniel said with a sudden change of tone.

SG-1 and Selmak chuckled. Carter closed her eyes and laughed despite herself.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**:

Shepard looked out upon the Martian surface. It was desolate, red, _lonely_. The scenery mirrored how she felt. Mars of her time was only slightly more populated than the Mars of _now_ when you got down to it. She checked the pressure seal on her combat armor once again and turned to look at O'Neill and Carter. They were each closing the faceplates on their EVA suits. _Those things belong in a museum,_ Shepard thought to herself. Carter pronounced them good to go and pressed a button that looked like a gold scarab or something equally out of place on a starship. _Whoever these goa'uld are,_ she thought to herself, _they have a very strange sense of style._

_And if we don't find what we're looking for out there, they're going to become my problem._ She tried to put the thought from her mind.

"Blowing down the airlock now," Jacob Carter's voice came through her aural implants loud and clear. She could only imagine how much it crackled in those antique space suit helmets. The air pressure in the airlock dropped rapidly, Shepard could feel her armor expand slightly into shape.

Shepard stepped to the hatch as it slid open. Then she stopped. She turned to look at O'Neill and Carter, "Remember what I was saying about the first astronauts on Mars?" She could see them nod clearly enough with the damn _shoot-me_ lights in their helmets. Some idiot engineer somewhere had decided it would be a good idea to include small LED lights inside their faceplates. _Shit I hope they do something more than just illuminate the wearer's face,_ she thought. Maybe they were part of a heads-up display? Either way, Shepard decided she'd have to talk to the engineers about that one. "Well…" she stepped to the side and motioned towards the surface of the Promethei Planum, "How about you put your names in the history books instead?"

Major Carter grinned from ear to ear and stepped forward. O'Neill was a bit too surprised to do anything beyond smirk and get out of the way. "One small step for a woman," she said as she jumped over the threshold of the airlock. Shepard tried to say something, but Carter was too quick for her, "One giant…" Carter's otherwise historic speech was cut short as she toppled over with a yelp and face-planted into the Martian soil.

Shepard gracefully leapt from the transport ship and landed next to Carter. She leaned over gingerly and helped her to her feet. "Martian gravity is just shy of 0.4g," Shepard said as she dusted the Major off, "The artificial gravity from the ship leaves off abruptly when you clear the air lock. Sorry, I wanted to warn you. But, you were a bit too quick for me." She smiled, not that Carter could see it. The interior of _her_ helmet didn't have any visible lights to give her position away to potential enemies.

Shepard stood back and watched O'Neill exit the transport ship. He stumbled too, but managed to keep from toppling over. Sure that they were upright, Shepard turned and bounded away. She brought her omni-tool online and began scanning.

* * *

Jack was starting to get the low-g 'bunny hop' down. _Armstrong made it look so damn easy_. Carter was doing slightly better. Shepard moved with a cat-like grace that put them both to shame. Despite her carriage, O'Neill could see that things were not going to Shepard's liking. Victoria's omni-tool glowed bright orange as she scanned for the Prothean artifacts that were increasingly obviously not to be found. Still, she wasn't giving up. Part of him admired the attitude, the unwillingness to admit defeat, but Jack knew what thoughts must really be racing through her mind.

Cater bounded to his side, "Anything?" he asked over a private channel; Shepard didn't need to hear their demoralizing conversation.

"No, sir," Carter looked at an instrument of her own. Bulky, heavy even in the reduced gravity, it didn't have nearly the sleek sexy lines of Shepard's futuristic equipment, but it was just as sensitive. There was nothing here. No underground bunker. No treasure-trove of Prothean technology. Earth's tech-base would stay in the 21st century; there would be no 'greatest discovery in human history' today. "I hate to say it, sir, but I think this trip has been a bust." Carter's shoulders slumped.

"Yeah, it's looking that way from here too," chimed in Doctor Jackson over the comm. He, Teal'c, and Selmak had been rather quiet through the entire exercise. The tek'tak's sensor suite wasn't quite designed for this work, but even _it_ was sensitive enough to tell there was nothing here. Though, they didn't want to upset Shepard any more than she was already becoming.

"Roger that," O'Neill responded. Despite the unfolding tragedy, Jack couldn't help but chuckle, "Carter."

"Yes, sir?"

"Carter, look around, we're on _Mars_," he turned and smiled. She beamed back at him with realization. It was funny, they'd already visited nearly a hundred different worlds, but this was the first time men and women had set foot upon the red planet. There was something epic about standing there, something more visceral than stepping through a stargate. This was literally a childhood dream come true for both of them.

"It's beautiful, sir," she paused, "I can't believe we've never visited before. It's in the neighborhood, after all."

Jack chuckled, then his jaw dropped; Shepard fell to her knees.

* * *

_Nothing! There's nothing here!_ Shepard looked at her omni-tool for the hundredth time. Despite the absence of the Martian Positioning System satellites from her time, the data in her omni-tool's memory should have been sufficient find the Archives. Still, there was nothing. No dark energy emissions, no Prothean beacons, not a single sign of Prothean tech. _No! It must be here somewhere._

Shepard breathed deeply. She paced wildly. Her vision began to grey. She looked up at the top of her helmet and noticed the 'hyper-vent' light appear in the 'master caution' section of her heads up display. She was losing it. _No! Please no!_

Shepard's world was falling apart. She was alone; Liara didn't exist, and she never would. _It's over, it's all over._ Shepard fell to her knees. She bowed her head. She wept.

Victoria thought back to the moments before the final push in London. It all struck her as very poignant. She said her goodbyes to everyone she had interacted with during her fight against the Reapers stretching back to the mission against Saren. There were so many, they were all together in the fight. Liara, however, stood out in her mind, and rightfully so. Shepard smiled at the memory. Liara had shared her mind with her one last time. Liara showed her all of the feelings and memories about her she'd accumulated over the years. For a glorious moment they were a single mind, even more so than when they made love. Shepard could _feel_ how much Liara loved her. She could _feel_ how much she wanted to end the Reaper War and settle down with her. For a brief, amazing moment she could see the large family they would have. All those _little blue children_, and they would raise them together in peace. Liara used the phrase _bond-mate_, and it sounded perfect. That was why, despite no official documentation to justify it, she had told SG-1 that Liara was her _wife_. Shepard's shoulders bucked with a sob, tears streamed down her face, _my beloved wife_.

Shepard didn't know the nuts-and-bolts of Asari reproduction, but part of her hoped that Liara had taken that opportunity to conceive a child by her. She must have known it might be the very last chance they would get. Still, she wanted to be there to raise their daughters with Liara. _She's still alive out there, somewhere_, Shepard thought to herself. She was sure of it. Liara had gotten away with the _Normandy_ when she called for the evac. Victoria hated the thought, but she was actually relieved when Liara had been wounded during the scramble to The Beam. Joker had come and taken her and Garrus away. They were safe! Somewhere, in some other _reality_, they were safe. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly over the tears. _I love you so much!_

* * *

A hand appeared on her shoulder. She looked up through bleary eyes at Colonel O'Neill. Thankfully he couldn't see her crying through the small slit of her view port. The look on his face was familiar. There it was again, the _pain_ behind his eyes. Just like she had seen that first day she had _arrived_ here. He understood. Shepard wasn't sure how, but he _understood_.

"It'll be ok, Victoria," he said. "Let's go home."

_Home,_ Shepard thought, trying not to let despair overcome her again. "Yes. Home."

* * *

**Author's Note**:

Thanks everyone for reading. Sorry if this week's post was a bit on the short side, but I'll make it up to you next week!


	13. Chapter 12

**Author's Note:**

Welcome back again (week 5). I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Last week's posting was a bit short, so this one will be a bit longer. Thanks to all for the support in favorited/followed story hits and comments. As always; comments, questions, suggestions, requests, and criticisms (keep 'em classy/constructive) are always welcome.

* * *

**Chapter 12**:

"That sounds like a great idea Samantha," said Doctor Fraiser's muffled voice, "we've got plenty of food, and I think Cassie might like to meet someone else with, um, a _special_ background."

Major Carter shifted the telephone's receiver to her other ear and fiddled with the wire, the connection was awful. "Yeah. I think she could use some family right now too."

There was a pause, the line crackled a bit. Carter imagined Janet was mulling that over in her mind, "Yes. I would think so. Well, you can head over any time. Cassandra is hooking up some sort of karaoke game on her PlayStation, so…" she trailed off.

Carter chuckled, "Well, I can't really sing, but that's sorta the point, right?" She thought for a moment, "I think Shepard is actually rather keen on contemporary music, it might be right up her alley." She checked her watch, "I only have my bike on-base right now, so I'll have to grab a car from the motor pool. Call it an hour, hour and a half?"

"Sounds great, see you soon."

Major Carter returned the receiver to its cradle. She made a mental note to have the explosion-proof phone replaced. Airtight seal or no, if there was an internal short it could be an extreme hazard; there were plenty of volatiles in her lab space and she couldn't afford an errant spark. _Safety first._ She looked around her lab to make sure there were no active or dangerous experiments that needed putting away, and then walked down the corridor towards the guest quarters.

Carter increasingly worried about Shepard. She hadn't been the same since Mars. Shepard, a brutally smart individual, _must_ have known what they would find, or rather not find, on the red planet. All the signs pointed to finding nothing. The SGC had never found any eezo in all of its offworld missions. They had never encountered any of the citadel races on any of the planets they'd visited. Nor had the Tok'ra. Nor, presumably, had the goa'uld. Carter imagined the Asgard would have given them the same story if they could get ahold of them. _Thor is surprisingly incognito considering the novelty of the current situation_, thought Carter. Likewise, Shepard had never heard of naquadah, the goa'uld, Tok'ra, nor the Asgard wherever _she_ came from. _Though, she _had_ visited the 'Asgard System' on a few occasions._ It was painfully obvious to everyone, even Shepard, that Victoria had transitioned into a completely separate reality _and_ timeline well before they had ever made it to Mars.

But Shepard was a stubborn individual. She held out hope until the very end. Carter could tell that Victoria was relieved, on an intellectual level, at the discovery that the Reapers just didn't exist _here_. Shepard was dedicated to the protection of Earth before all else, and not having to deal with the Reapers simplified things immensely. But she was also emotionally destroyed. Suddenly, with _certainty_, she knew; she would never see any of her friends, especially her beloved Liara, ever again.

Carter had proposed that perhaps the Asari still existed, but without eezo they might not yet have a faster than light capability. Thessia might not have a stargate. Maybe this explained why they had never met any of the Citadel Races before. Perhaps someday Liara would still be born, and they could be reunited; for whatever _that_ was worth. Shepard would be roughly 100 years old by time Liara was born, if she was ever born. Their meeting on Therum a century after _that_ would _never_ happen.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Shepard had sadly observed that eezo was so prevalent on Thessia that life had evolved around it. _No eezo_, she said, _no Asari_. It was madness to even hope in the first place, and Shepard had known it.

It pained Carter. Despite the occasional discomfort she felt when Shepard flirted with her, something she was willing to believe was now done only in jest, she had come to quite like the Spectre. Carter saw much of herself in Shepard. Victoria was another powerful intelligent woman on the front lines, putting her life on the line so others did not have to, doing what an unfortunately large percentage of males thought impossible for her gender. She'd given her life for humanity, _at least once_, and she was still willing to give her all to defend her species. The fact that her enemies were now goa'uld rather than Reapers was just a detail.

Carter would not let Shepard lose herself to despair, and not just because she needed her for the fight against the goa'uld. Shepard deserved at least _some_ happiness in her life. She had fought her war, and she had _won_ it! Undoubtedly the people of her reality were currently enjoying that victory; she should find some enjoyment in _this_ one.

Samantha reached Victoria's quarters.

_Knock, knock, knock…_

* * *

Commander Victoria Shepard reflected upon her life.

She'd lived a rich childhood, raised by parents who adored her and provided whatever she needed despite the rigors of military life in space. She had followed in her parents' footsteps, joined the Alliance Navy, earned the coveted N7 Special Forces designation, and served with distinction. She had saved the colony of Elysium from slavers, received the _Start of Terra_, and was regarded as a 'Hero of the Alliance'.

She was inducted as the first human Spectre and sent after the traitor Saren. She'd defeated Saren, his Geth armada, and the Reaper _Sovereign_ in their attempt to seize the Citadel and launch the Reaper invasion of the Milky Way.

She had wooed and won the beautiful Asari Doctor Liara T'soni, finding her soul mate in a shy archeologist nearly four times her own age.

She had risen from the dead. _She had risen from the dead!_ She had recruited an amazing team of disparate individuals from throughout the galaxy and stopped the Collectors before they could kidnap more colonies. She had successfully traversed the Omega 4 relay, faced down a proto-Reaper, and personally destroyed it.

When the hammer blow finally fell, she had rallied the peoples of the galaxy into the largest alliance in the history of the Milky Way. She had cured the genophage and brokered an alliance between the Turians and Krogan despite a millennium of hatred. She had helped the Quarians reclaim their homeworld; but through peace, not conquest. The newly sentient synthetics and their organic creators would live together in harmony; united, by her, against a common enemy.

She had delivered the materials and experts to build an ancient super weapon of stupendous magnitude. She had assembled a fleet the likes of which had never been seen to deliver their last hope to Earth, her world, fulfilling her promise to bring help for the fight. _I shall return,_ Shepard remembered the quote from that old Earth general. She had dropped in the first wave of an invasion many orders of magnitude more complex and pivotal than even her ship _Normandy's_ namesake.

She had fought her way through the rubble of one of the most celebrated cities in human history. Personally facing down the 2 kilometer tall _Harbinger,_ she still made it to the London Beam despite catastrophic injuries. She had confronted the Illusive Man, traitor to humanity, and convinced him to end his own life and stop preventing her from saving everyone else's.

She had sacrificed her own _self_ to take control of the Reapers. She would use them as a tool for good, despite the corrupt intent behind their original design. _The most noble fate a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and the war's desolation._ She remembered the line from her favorite book; still the only science fiction novel on the Alliance Military Academy required reading list.

But there was more to it than that, wasn't there?

As a child she would go months without seeing one or both of her parents. Alliance officers were a mobile lot, and a warship did not accommodate children. Her own service in the Navy had been one long study in adversity. N7 training was brutal; she still wondered how she ever survived 'The Villa'. Not a single day went by during training that she hadn't seriously contemplated dropping out.

Her heroic defense of Elysium had been a traumatizing exercise in horror and brutality. She had personally murdered several dozen Batarians, and her orders had ended the lives of many scores of civilians. She remembered the ceremony where she was awarded her _Star of Terra_, all of the smiling faces and congratulations. _Lies!_ They were lauding a killer, a _butcher_. She had returned to her quarters to vomit and then cry herself to sleep. She could only confide in her own mother after her night terrors had awoken her. The screaming was loud enough to conduct through the metal bulkheads of Arcturus Station to her adjacent suite. Viking Victoria, _Viking Vikki_, god how she _still_ hated the nickname they pinned on her along with that medal; it reminded her of what she did.

Her battle against _Sovereign_ was equally horrifying. She had murdered her beloved's mother before her very eyes. She had left Kaiden Alenko to die on Virmire. She needed someone to ensure that bomb went off, and he was in the right place at the wrong time. She had hurled the Alliance 5th Fleet at the Geth and _Sovereign_ to save the Council and the _Destiny Ascension_. She remembered each of the hate letters she'd received from grieving families. Not everyone thought humans dying for aliens was the right thing to do.

She had died. _She had died!_ She watched her command crumble about her as she was blown into space. She had hardly noticed the hiss of air escaping her suit at first, her thoughts screamed in her head so loudly. She kept looking for the escape pods, even as the lack of oxygen robbed her of consciousness. Liara and her crew _needed_ to be ok, nothing else mattered.

She had awoken a different woman, nearly more machine than human, to an exploding space station crawling with homicidal security mechs. Necessity allied her with _Cerberus_, the abhorrent terrorists who assassinated Alliance admirals and unleashed Rachni on civilians. She would just as soon have destroyed _Cerberus_ but for the Council's inaction. _She had to do something!_ What was worse than her own changes were the changes of those she had loved. Her beloved Liara seemed like a completely different person; colder, harder, _angry_.

She had to murder more Batarians; 300,000 of them! _It was the only way._ Then she had to face the music. She was on Earth in time to watch the world end. She saw a boy die. She was haunted by his memory. She watched her friends die. Mordin went out like a boss. Legion gave its life so the Geth could have individuality. _Good_ deaths or not, they were still _dead_.

She watched her beloved's homeworld, Thessia, burn. It was almost more horrifying that watching Earth crumble. The Asari were so beautiful, so ageless, they weren't built for stand-up fights; their venerable commandos no match for skyscraper sized starships. She was too weak, too slow, to save it. She had wept with Liara.

Then she saw her own world burning.

She saw a city in rubble; mounded bodies, screaming civilians, terrified soldiers. _So much blood._

Her mentor, the closest thing she had to a father since her childhood, died by her own hand. She still couldn't fathom how or why she'd shot Anderson. But he was dead.

Then the worst thing of all; the _choice_.

Three equally awful options that made the last three years of her life seem utterly irrelevant. _All of that work, all of that sacrifice, for what? Goddamn it!_ _Who could be so cruel as to let it end like this? Who came up with this bullshit?_ She chose what she thought was the least offensive option. It seemed so unreal. Part of her wondered if she was indoctrinated. _Maybe when I blacked out in front of Object Rho? Maybe everything since then has been some _poorly written _delusion. An effort to take me out of the fight._ Another part of her _hoped_ she was indoctrinated. It would almost make her feel better having been under outside control when she had to make that choice. _If that even happened at all._

But there was more to it than that. She took a huge risk. She _should_ have destroyed the reapers. It _apparently_ carried awful consequences, the death of EDI and the Geth, but it was the _safest_ course of action. She would have undoubtedly been killed herself. Trying to re-enter a planetary atmosphere using her face as a heat shield and expecting to survive a second time seemed like tempting face too much. Not to mention the 7 _billion_ tonnes of flaming space station coming down behind her. _That'd just be crazy._

She had been selfish. That was all there was to say about that. _Controlling_ the Reapers seemed to offer her a way out; a way to save the citadel, a way to ensure the mass relays could be repaired, _a way to be with Liara_. Of course, she wouldn't be _human _anymore, but an individual's species didn't matter much to Asari. More importantly, all an Asari required to bond with her mate was physical contact, specifically the ability to link her own body's electrical field with another's. Reaper or no, Shepard would have an electrical field that Liara could tap into.

Victoria squeezed her eyes tightly shut, _how could I ever expect that to work?_ It was insane. It was unrealistic. It was, _presumptuous_. Granted, from her experiences with Liara in the bond, she was almost certain she would have gone for it if she could; but, to do it without asking first? _There was no time!_ Shepard made one crazy, selfish, choice and hoped for the best. _What if it was a trick? You would have betrayed the entire galaxy for _one_ woman!_

Shepard came to the sudden, startling, realization that she was _ok_ with that.

Shepard put her head in her hands and wept. _What am I?_

_Knock, knock, knock…_

* * *

**Author's Note**: If you're curious as to Victoria's experiences on Elysium, and why she _hates_ the nickname 'Viking Vikki', I'd suggest reading my other Fic 'Recollections', specifically chapter 3. (Just remember that the 'Transitions' story arc, which includes' Recollections', is a separate, parallel, universe from 'New Beginnings'.)


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**:

"Come in," Major Carter heard the muffled voice through the heavy steel door. _All doors in this place are steel doors, aren't they?_ thought Carter. Samantha opened the door onto the dimly lit guest quarters. Shepard had Spartan decorating tastes. While she hadn't touched the USAF "Aerospace Power" posters, _who doesn't like pictures of cool airplanes, even if they are primitive by her standards,_ she hadn't really brought in anything new either. Despite nearly two months of living in this space, Shepard had only added the small framed picture of her mate.

"Busy?" she asked.

"Just thinking," Shepard responded, "Why?"

Shepard looked disturbed. Her arms were crossed tightly over her breasts. She sat in one of the chairs at the small table, but her boot-clad feet were up on the end of her bed. She wore fatigues, the Marine Corps style with the digital camouflage pattern, with the sleeves expertly rolled up to her well-muscled biceps. Shepard, even when _off duty_, dressed like she was ready for an inspection, despite the general casualness the rest of the SG teams tended to display. It was almost as if these trivial details helped keep her grounded. _Anything that reminded her of her own _place, thought Carter.

"A few of us are getting together to celebrate the anniversary of a friend's," she paused, "adoption. Would you like to come?"

"I don't know Major. If this is something amongst your friends, I probably shouldn't be there."

Carter could see from the expression on Shepard's face that she was desperate to get out of the mountain. Hammond had just authorized her to leave, albeit under strict supervision. So far, she'd only been to the surface and walked around on-base. She hadn't even left the security cordon yet. Deciding the bold approach was appropriate, Carter sat down at the small table next to Shepard and said, "Cassandra isn't from here either." Samantha was sure that Shepard would keep the secret, "Janet adopted her from a planet we call P8X-987. The goa'uld Nirrti poisoned her world, she's the only survivor. SG-1 and I rescued her, she's been living here ever since."

That got Shepard's attention. Her jaw flexed. "I think I can relate."

"Yeah." She looked at Shepard. She had a hard time fathoming what it must be like for her, but if the expression on her face were an indication, it was unpleasant. "Come on, you need to get outside. It's a beautiful day out there."

That, too, got Shepard's attention. The last time she really got a good look at Earth it had been a burning ruin. The chance to get outside, to interact with other people, and to not have it all be crashing down upon her was appealing to say the least. "That sounds nice, Major."

"Please, when we're off duty like this, call me Sam, Commander."

"Victoria." She smiled. "I like _Sam_. That's a nice nickname."

* * *

"I take it that we wouldn't both fit on your motorcycle?" Victoria asked as they strode up to a navy blue Crown-Vic from the motor pool.

"Probably not," Carter said as she opened the driver's-side door, "And we'd have probably turned a few heads if we tried."

Carter was dressed casually; the jeans and her riding jacket she would have worn on her bike. Shepard, however, was wearing a sun dress that seemed to be about a size and a half too small for her. The skirt barely made it to her knees, and her muscled upper body was nearly spilling out of the top. _Shepard said she traded for it,_ thought Carter. Of course, she wasn't sure who she could have traded with, and for _what_. Shepard didn't exactly have the biggest breasts in the world, but she filled the dress out rather well. Fortunately, though, she had that covered with a field jacket, which, in addition to the combat boots she wore, made the entire outfit slightly incongruous. _She'd probably make some hipster kids in Colorado Springs' day,_ Carter thought.

"Yeah," said Shepard, "I've been meaning to apologize for that. I realize that you're not interested, and that I might actually cause trouble for you if I don't lay off the flirting. What with this not being the _age of enlightenment_ yet." Carter stopped short. Shepard was right, though she hadn't figured out a way of telling her so. "I really didn't mean to bother you. It's not really an excuse, but it _was_ from the heart." Carter opened her mouth to respond and Shepard continued, "Plus, if Liara ever found out, I think she might hurt me." She smiled.

_Well, at least she's smiling_, Carter thought. Shepard's apology was heartfelt. Yes, she found the flirting slightly off-putting, but it was innocent enough that she'd let it slide so far. To know it was about to stop obviated any confrontation, and she was just fine with that. "Well, we wouldn't want that," Carter said with a smirk. "Thanks, I appreciate you laying off," she paused, "I wouldn't want to have to smack you around over it." Shepard favored her with a lopsided grin.

* * *

"We're here," Carter said.

Shepard looked out the window to see a modest suburban house. She smiled to herself. Earth looked so beautiful when it wasn't a smoking ruin. Victoria had grown up in space, she hadn't spent much time on Earth, but she always cherished the times she did return to the homeworld.

Shepard and Carter exited the car and walked up a neat concrete path towards the house's front porch. She inhaled the scent of marigolds from a pair of flower pots on either side of a freshly painted door. Carter knocked. A moment later a blond haired teenager opened the door. She beamed a smile at Samantha and pulled her into a hug, "Sam! You came!"

Samantha smiled back warmly, "Of course I did." She turned and motioned to Shepard, "Cassandra, this is Victoria. We work together." Carter didn't elaborate further on that point, but she didn't need to. Cassandra nodded and smiled.

"Victoria," she said with an outstretched hand.

"A pleasure to meet you, Cassandra," Shepard replied with a smile. "Happy…" Shepard trailed off not knowing exactly what to call the anniversary of an adoption."

"We call it Arrival Day," Cassandra filled in the blank.

Shepard visibly twitched at the word _arrival_. Despite her best efforts her eyes developed a thin sheen of tears as she remembered the Bahak System. Shepard hoped that didn't notice.

"Victoria?" _They did notice._ "Are you ok?" asked Cassandra.

Shepard immediately recomposed. "Of course," she smiled, "I was just remembering something I did at work last year." Carter and Cassandra looked at her with confused expressions. Then Carter remembered one of Shepard's debriefings and her eyebrows jumped.

Cassandra noticed Shepard's discomfort, "Come in!" she said with a smile. "Jack's got the grill warming up already."

"Thanks Cassie," Carter said leading Shepard into the house.

Shepard looked about the home. Furniture and wall paper were all of warm colors. The walls were covered with bright paintings and photographs. Through them Shepard could see Cassandra age from a little girl to a rapidly maturing young adult. In all of the photographs she wore a warm smile. SG-1 appeared in a few of the photos; General Hammond was even in one.

Shepard followed Cassandra and Carter out onto a large wooden deck. The backyard was beautiful; Doctor Fraiser's house bordered on a large green-space. Tall leafy trees swayed gently in the early spring breeze. _Green! This place is green!_ Shepard smiled widely. The last time she had seen Earth it was a burning horror. Any trees that still existed in London during the battle were leafless and charred a sickly black. Not here. Earth was alive and well!

Doctor Fraiser pulled up alongside of her, "Beautiful huh? There's a small footpath that runs through the park. Maybe you and Cassie can take a walk after dinner." She looked at the grill, "With all of this food I think we're going to need a little activity when we're done."

Shepard basked in the warm sunlight. She removed her field jacket and placed it on the back of a folding chair. She immediately caught everyone staring at her chest. She looked down, c_hrist, I really _am_ spilling out of this dress, aren't I?_ "It's impolite to stare," she said to no one in particular.

"Umm," Cassandra couldn't seem to resist. "Sorry, that's just a lot of scars."

"Cassie!" admonished Doctor Fraiser.

Shepard looked down at her bare chest. A pair of thin scars ran from the top of her sternum down between her breasts and disappeared below the top of her low-cut sun dress. Another faint set of scars ran parallel to her left clavicle. _Those _are_ obvious, aren't they?_ Shepard didn't even see them in the mirror any more. Her scars had become as much a part of her as her spirit, or her love for Liara. Shepard's heart warmed momentarily at the thought, then it sank. _You're gone to me, aren't you my love._

"That's fine Doctor." Victoria looked at the teenager, "I was in a pretty bad plane crash a few years back, Cassandra," she said. A lie, of course, but not too far from the truth.

"Was that when you were in the Army?" she asked looking at the field jacket.

Shepard couldn't resist, "Oh, _I've got soul but I'm not a soldier!_" she sang out in her high soprano startling everyone. _God I love that song,_ she thought with melancholy. "Sorry, one of my favorite songs." _You'll hear it on the radio in a few years._ "I'm in the Navy, not the Army."

"Ahh," Cassandra said, and her eyes fell back to Shepard's scars.

"Cassie," Doctor Fraiser elbowed her daughter.

"Oh, that's ok Doctor," Shepard assured her, "Just so long as it's my scars she's looking at. I think she's a bit too young to be staring at my tits." Carter nearly gagged on her beer.

"Uhh," Cassandra was a bit flustered at that, "I don't think my boyfriend would appreciate that."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Daniel said. Teal'c arched an eyebrow.

"_Boy_friend ehh?" asked Carter. "We going to see this mystery man? Make sure he's cool enough?" Samantha cast a concerned look to Janet.

"No," chimed in Doctor Fraiser, "This is a _family_ celebration."

Shepard's heart warmed at the sight. Fraiser obviously adored Cassandra; Carter too. She pined quietly for the family she would never have with Liara. _Oh beloved,_ Shepard thought, _we would have had such beautiful children_. Then she heard a sizzling and looked at the grill. Jack was flipping a large, rare, steak. O'Neill turned to Victoria, "Hey Shepard, glad you could make it, want a beer?" he smiled. Victoria noticed blood dripping from the pink meat, juices falling onto the glowing coals, small flashes of flame as the fat burned. Her stomach lurched, suddenly she was in Elysium again; slaughtered civilians, burning Batarians. She looked away. Somewhat confused, Jack pointed to the cooler, "Beer's over there."

* * *

**Author's Note**:

Song lyric credit to 'The Killers'. If you're curious as to just how much Shepard loves that song, I recommend you read Chapter 6 of my other Fic "Recollections".


	15. Chapter 14

**Author's Note:**

Song credit to Green Day's 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams'. This chapter constitutes a 'transformative work' and is, thus, fair use.

* * *

**Chapter 14**:

Jack was profoundly tone deaf; almost painfully so. While Shepard loved music, singing in particular, this _PlayStation _did not impress her. The user interface was barely adequate, and the musical selection anemic. She resolved to fix that. A discreet wave of her hand and her omni-tool analyzed the game system's hardware, a small twitch of her fingers and her personal music library opened, a few more commands and a specially built program compiled; she was ready.

Sure not to disturb a duet between Carter and Cassandra, Shepard leaned over to Doctor Fraiser, "Do you have a computer with a," she paused, searching for the correct term, "CD burner?"

Janet flashed her a quizzical look and nodded, "Follow me." They both got off of the couch and walked into a small home office. "Here you go," Janet said placing a blank CD-R into the drive. Shepard turned the holographic interface back on and waved her hand over the PC. Interfacing with the computer's operating system was a snap. A few commands and the CD burner spun up. Fraiser looked on, surprised how easily Shepard could take control of contemporary computer hardware. "What are you doing?"

"Adding some songs to Cassandra's PlayStation," she smiled at the Doctor. "20th and 21st Century music is actually a hobby of mine; she might get a kick out of this. They haven't invented Lady Ga-Ga yet, right?"

Fraiser was confused, "Lady what-what?"

Shepard smiled, "Never mind, you'll find out soon enough. This is one of my favorites. It won't be released for another year or so, though, so don't let her take this disk out of the house." She removed the disk from the burner and returned to the den.

Shepard came upon Daniel Jackson holding his head in his hands in feigned disgust with Major Carter's performance. Cassandra was laughing. "Cassie?" Victoria asked in a tone that said, _can I call you by your nickname_, Cassandra nodded, "I've got a few extra songs for your game that you might enjoy." She smiled.

Victoria loaded the disk into the PlayStation and it booted up flawlessly, _glad my omni-tool could sort out that primitive operating system._ She selected a song, and in her high beautiful soprano began to sing."

_I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known…_

* * *

Cater watched, dumbstruck, as Shepard belted out a melancholy song from an album from their future. Victoria's expression rapidly changed. The other members of SG-1 could see it, even Doctor Fraiser and Cassandra. There was so much _pain_ in Shepard.

_…I walk this empty street, on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams…_

Carter suddenly realized that they had underestimated Shepard's mental state. Everyone at the SGC knew that she was out of place, isolated from friends, family, and familiar environs; but no one had appreciated just how lonely she was.

Shepard's facial expression changed further, her eyes shimmered, she was on the verge of tears.

* * *

O'Neill listened to Shepard sing. She had a beautiful voice; a damn sight better than his, that's for sure. He was only half listening to the lyrics, though. He observed Shepard. He watched some of the barriers come down.

Jack could appreciate some of the pain that Shepard was feeling. Obviously he'd never experienced what Victoria had just gone through; it was almost too sci-fi for him, and _that_ was saying something. But, Jack knew a thing or two about loss. He nearly killed himself when his son died. _It was my fault!_ He thought that the stargate program was a spectacular vehicle for his suicide; maybe get some use out of his death as a penance for his son's.

He went through the gate that first time not intending on coming back. Perhaps nuclear fire would cleanse his soul of the guilt from killing his son. _I left that gun where he could get it, just as good as shooting him myself. _But that all changed. Suddenly, with the goa'uld threatening the people of Abydos, he found purpose. The defense of Earth gave him a mission, his team gave him stability. Without them he could be lost again, and that's what had just happened to Shepard.

_…of the border line, of the edge and where I walk alone…_

_What can we do for her?_ Jack wracked his brain looking for a solution.

* * *

As the song progressed, Daniel Jackson couldn't help but think about his departed wife Sha're. Aside from the whole 'saving the galaxy' thing, Daniel figured he was best suited to sympathize with Shepard; a distinction he'd just as soon not be able to claim. Daniel would give anything if it meant he could have his wife back. _Shepard's wife doesn't even exist here, she never will!_ He couldn't even begin to fathom how you'd deal with that.

Daniel looked at Teal'c. He was obviously concerned as well, it was plain on his face; and _that_ was a substantial occurrence in and of itself. Daniel's heart ached for Shepard. He didn't know what he could do for her. Still, he wanted to do something, anything. He just didn't know how to help.

_...My shadow's the only one that walks beside me…_

* * *

_What can I do to help her?_ Carter asked herself.

_…My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating…_

* * *

_How do I help her?_ Jack thought.

_…Sometimes I wish someone up there will find me…_

Shepard looked to the sky.

* * *

_…'til then I walk alone…_

No more lyrics appeared on the screen as the music continued. Shepard, with what SG-1 would swear was a tear in her eye, quietly placed the PlayStation microphone on the coffee table and exited the room as the song finished playing.

They all looked at each other, dumfounded.

Then Cassandra stood, and followed Victoria outside.

Cassandra came upon Shepard as she was rummaging through the cooler for a beer. She retrieved one and, in a frightening show of strength, popped the cap off without aid of a bottle opener. She took a sip and walked over to the steps leading to the backyard and sat down. Shepard's shoulders heaved with a sigh.

Cassandra took a breath, made a decision, and sat beside her. "So, you going to talk about it?" Cassandra asked, "Because that whole walking out in an emo huff doesn't quite seem your style."

Shepard chuckled despite herself.

"Well, so long as you can laugh about it."

"It's complicated Cassandra."

"You know, you can tell me. I'm from _Canada_ too," she said deploying 'air quotes', "I'll probably understand."

"Hey, don't knock Canada. One of my best friends was from Vancouver."

"Was?"

"I killed him," Shepard said flatly.

"Oh."

"Yes, oh. Twenty kilotons, right in the face," Shepard said.

"Is that all?"

Shepard looked at the teen. Her tone was mocking, but somehow she couldn't be angry at her. She knew her background; Victoria knew _she_ had it as bad as or worse than she did. "Touché, Cassandra."

"So, what's bugging you?"

"I miss my wife," Shepard replied without hesitation.

"Where is she?" Cassandra didn't even bat an eye at the word _wife_.

"Gone, Cassandra, she's gone. I'm all alone now."

"I disagree," Cassandra said with an unexpected conviction. "My mom, and Sam, and everyone else back there," she motioned to the house, "are here for you." She paused, "Just like they were there for me."

Shepard nodded knowingly. "You're pretty smart for a kid."

Cassandra chuckled, "Yeah, and you're a bit dense if you didn't notice that before."

It was Shepard's turn to laugh. She looked around conspiratorially, checking to see if any neighbors were looking, "You want to see a picture of her?"

"Sure."

Shepard activated her omni-tool on a low-light setting, Cassandra's eyes nearly leapt out of their sockets. _Knocks the socks off of you PlayStation, doesn't it? _Victoria brought up a portrait of Liara T'soni. "Her name is Liara. She's from _Canada_ too." Shepard smiled.

"No wonder you're bummed, she's beautiful."

"Yeah," Shepard said wistfully as she powered down her omni-tool. "Hey, Cassandra, I appreciate what you said, and you're right. I think I need a moment, though. I'm going to take a walk, clear my head," she stood and began walking towards the tree line. "I'll be back in a little bit. Carter's my ride back to base, don't let her leave without me," she said with a smile.

"Sure Victoria. Hey, thanks for the new music," she said heading back into the house.

Shepard made her way towards the footpath leading through the small wooded area behind Fraiser's house. Once she left the area lit by the house's lights navigation became difficult. Her military-grade gene mods gave her exceptional low-light vision, but it was a moonless overcast sky, she could just barely make out the trees and the path.

_Kid's right,_ she thought to herself, _Liara wouldn't want you to feel this way. There are people here who care about you, you'll be ok._ She smiled, _from the mouths of babes._ Shepard decided that she would follow, or at least try to follow, the Asari philosophy and _embrace the time they had together._ Victoria would never have her beloved back, but part of her did live on within her. So long as she remembered, Liara would still exist.

Shepard heard a rustle from some bushes. Her N7 reflexes came online, but too late. A sudden pin-prick in her neck and Victoria pulled what looked like a dart from her skin. The world spun and she blacked out.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Cliffhanger! Stay tuned for the resolution next week; complete w/ actual action and violence. Also, if you're interested in how much Victoria likes song, you might want to check out my other Fic 'Recollections', specifically chapter 6.

**A Question for the Readers:**

Would you rather have small-ish updates every week or so? Or longer updates every couple of weeks? I have a rough publishing rate I'd like to maintain, so I'm wondering what you readers would prefer. Thanks!


	16. Chapter 15

**Author's Notes:**

Welcome to installment six. Thanks to all for their continues comments/support. Keep it coming. Just to let you know, work is picking up a bit, so I think I might switch to a fortnightly publishing schedule as opposed to weekly. Sorry 'bout that, but I appreciate your understanding.

**Readers' Discretion Advised:**

This chapter contains graphic depictions of gore and violence. If you're squeamish, you might want to skip it.

* * *

**Chapter 15**:

"Subject is a Caucasian female; age unknown, approximately 35 years, height 190 centimeters, weight 80 kilograms."

The voice paused. A heart rate monitor beeped softly at a leisurely, regular, 45 beats per minute.

"Subject is currently unconscious via a 1.5 milligram fentanyl drip. Subject shows a high degree of tolerance to anesthetic. Dosage increases will correspond to increases in heart rate and respiration."

The first figure, clad in white surgical garb, leaned forward and lifted Shepard's eyelids with a gloved hand. He played a small flashlight across her pupils. "Pupils blown and unresponsive."

The second figure, similarly dressed, wheeled a surgical tray to Shepard's supine nude form and nodded. "Very well, detailed exterior exam continues:

"Subject appears to be extremely fit, well developed musculature and low body fat percentage. Fat fold measurements have been compiled and included in report Appendix A. Subject shows extensive callusing on the hands and feet. Additional callusing is evident on the hips and shoulders, most likely from chronic backpack use or other load bearing equipment, and on the inner thighs, most likely from extensive walking. All hair below the neckline has been removed. Method of removal is unknown, but lack of skin irritation suggests the process was carried out some time ago. Skin has scattered freckles throughout, though predominantly on the face, no cancerous lesions are evident. Finger and toe nails are painted. There are no tattoos in evidence.

"Subject's exterior shows signs of substantial trauma and surgical intervention including multiple bone, joint, and organ prostheses. There is notable scarring along the spine, left hip, left knee, and left ankle suggesting prosthetic implants. A summary of these implanted devices and non-invasive imagery appear as Appendix A of this report. A scar on the pubis indicates a possible caesarian section or hysterectomy. Appendix A of this report contains ultra-sound imagery indicating this is a hysterectomy scar. There is no evidence to indicate the reason for this procedure, nor if the subject has ever been pregnant or delivered.

"There is a conspicuous lack of scars above the neckline despite the presence of substantial prosthetic implants in the skull, neck, and mouth suggesting some sort of active scar removal. There is no evidence to suggest the method of scar removal, but it appears to be completely effective. Subject's cranial, neck, and dental implants are summarized in Appendix A.

The first figure took Shepard's mandible in his hands and gently opened her mouth. Holding her tongue down with a wooden tongue depressor stick he shined a light and examined her teeth.

"Subject's teeth show signs of substantial grinding. Three molars have gold crowns, presumably to repair cracked enamel or root canaled teeth. Subject has no wisdom teeth; x-rays indicate they have been surgically removed. Dental x-rays appear in Appendix A of this report."

The first figure took Shepard's head in his hand and gently rolled it to the side and pulled her hair back to expose an empty bio-amp implant port.

"Subject has a small mechanical port implanted at the base of the skull. A small flesh-colored cover is affixed with what appears to be an interference fit. Removing the cover shows the port is empty. The cover will be left in place to avoid contamination. Appendix B of this report indicates that this is known as the 'bio-amp port'. The bio-amp is not present suggesting that it is in storage at the SGC. Appendix B also suggests that the subject has limited to no biotic capability without the implant."

The heart rate monitor changed tone. Shepard's heart rate was increasing. "Subject appears to be resisting anesthetic, increasing dosage; 25 micrograms fentanyl." He noted the time. The heart rate monitor changed tone again as Shepard's heart slowed.

"The phenomena associated with the phrase 'biotics' are outlined in Appendix C of this report. As indicated in the Appendix, a core component of biotics is the presence of element zero within the body. Element zero appears in the subject in the form of nodules affixed to the central nervous system. As noted in Appendix B, the bio-amp implant allows the user to coordinate nerve impulses to these nodules to form useable mass effect fields. Thus, the absence of the bio-amp renders the user's biotic capabilities inert.

"We will begin with the nodule designated 1A in Appendix D on the ulnar nerve of the right arm."

The first figure lifted Shepard's right arm as the second figure wrapped an ACE bandage tightly from her hand to her bicep. He then applied a tourniquet and removed the bandage. Shepard's already pale skin was now ashen white from lack of blood. The heart rate monitor's tone increased in pitch, the second figure watched the readout climb.

"Heart rate is climbing, increasing anesthetic dosage; 25 micrograms fentanyl." He noted the time. The heart rate monitor changed tone as Shepard's heart slowed, but it did not settle at the original rate. The two figures looked at each other, they didn't have much time.

"Beginning incision," said the second figure as he expertly dragged a scalpel down Shepard's forearm near the elbow. The first figure blotted what little blood emerged with a gauze pad. The heart rate monitor changed tone. "Heart rate is climbing, increasing anesthetic dosage; 25 micrograms fentanyl." He noted the time. The intervals between dosage increases were shortening. Shepard's heart rate slowed, but not as much as with the previous dose.

The first figure clipped back the cut skin with forceps as the second figure went to work with a muscle retractor. The heart rate monitor's tone increased rapidly in pitch.

Shepard's thoughts swam. _Where's Cassie? Where am I?_ She heard a muffled voice, "Heart rate is climbing! The anesthetic is wearing off. Increasing anesthetic dosage; 50 micrograms fentanyl." Shepard's world became fuzzy again.

_Focus Shepard!_

Victoria heard a voice. It sounded like Liara. _Liara?_

_Shepard, wake up!_

Shepard concentrated, _beloved, where are you?_ Her right arm hurt. She heard two voices.

"The anesthetic is wearing off again!"

"If I give her any more we might kill her."

"That's acceptable. You may euthanize her," a new voice. It sounded distorted, tinny, as if it were coming through a speaker.

"Very well, administering 20 milligrams fentanyl."

_That's not Liara! This is not a dream! _

Shepard's eyes snapped open.

The second figure looked into Shepard's now open eyes. "Oh shit! She's awake."

Victoria Shepard moved more quickly than either of them knew a person _could_ move. She reached out with her left arm and grabbed the first figure's hand before he could depress the plunger on enough anesthetic to kill her twice over. A quick jerk and his wrist broke with a loud crunch. He screamed, and dropped the syringe.

The second figure shouted, "Get some help in here! Now!"

Shepard detected movement from the far end of the room. A pair of men brandishing pistols burst through a door. Victoria moved with purpose. She sprung from the operating table in a biotic blur and snatched the scalpel from the man she designated _Target-A_. He was too stunned to react when she looped behind him, wrapped her hand around his forehead and placed the scalpel against his neck.

Shepard took stock. She had one man, _Target-A_, dressed in surgical garb, dead to rights. Another man, similarly dressed, _Target-B_, nursed a broken wrist. Two men, _Target-C_ and _Target-D_, pistols drawn, continued their approach. From her left arm hung an IV, a full syringe dangled from the injection port. Her right arm bore a tourniquet above the elbow. Below her elbow was a large incision, forceps and a muscle retractor held the wound open.

All N7 Marines are trained in basic field surgery; she assessed her wound as non-life threatening in the short-term. The tourniquet concerned her, however. She had no idea how long ago it had been applied, and it was making her hand stiff and unresponsive. The pain didn't even register in her conscious mind.

The two men with the pistols moved closer. _Time to act!_ Shepard cut _Target-A's_ throat. She did it the _right_ way, not like you saw in the vids. In a single, smooth, _well-practiced_ motion she plunged the scalpel through the side of the man's neck, the cutting edge of the blade facing forward. The blade slid into the muscle without effort, just forward of the spine. Shepard then pushed out with the scalpel while she pulled the man's head back with her left hand. The blade cut through the right jugular vein, carotid artery, and the man's trachea. The scalpel blade was _just_ too short to get both sides.

_Target-A_ was dead before he even realized he'd been cut. Blood geysered from the severed artery as he _tried_ to scream, the severed wind pipe prevented even gurgling. He would have died silently except that Shepard launched the dying man towards _Targets C and D_ with a biotic throw. They crashed to the floor under the blow of the rag dolling doctor.

She expertly threw the scalpel at _Target-B_. The blade buried itself to the hilt in the man's left leg just above the knee. Confident that _Target-B_ was going nowhere, she directed her attention towards _C _and_ D_ who were still sprawled underneath the rapidly exsanguinating _Target-A_. She noticed the pistol knocked from _Target C's_ hand lying on the concrete floor.

Victoria expertly removed the forceps and retractor from her arm; she left the tourniquet in place for the time being. A twitch of biotics and the loose pistol slid across the floor to meet her as she strode, stark naked, towards the two guards. Her feet made a soft slapping sound on the smooth concrete. She pulled the IV from her arm and scooped the pistol up off the floor with her left hand. Without even slowing down Shepard fired a single bullet into each of the guards' heads and she stepped over them and through the door they had entered through. She was panting. Generating a biotic field without the help of a bio-amp was exhausting, she was very nearly spent.

_Somewhere in this building is a man on the other end of the intercom_, she thought, _the man who ordered me killed._ _He'll have answers._ She paused, _and my stuff!_

"Shepard! Are you ok?" asked Colonel O'Neill. The room looked like a slaughterhouse. There were three bodies in a pile on the floor and at least one of them looked _butchered_. Shepard stood, wearing nothing but a bloody lab coat, next to two seated and bound figures. One looked dead. Ashen-white waxy skin and a ragged stab wound at his knee, O'Neill thought he might have bled to death. The other man was obviously alive, and whimpering. Strangely, they both had their pants and underwear down around their ankles.

Security Forces troopers fanned out to secure the rest of the building. Shepard looked _terrifying_. She was covered in blood. Her arm was wrapped in a soaked-through bandage. She was naked beneath the blood soaked lab coat which she didn't bother cinching shut. No modesty at all appeared on her face, her nudity was beneath her notice. _Modesty is a human emotion,_ thought O'Neill, _Shepard is _not_ human._ Her expression was set. She was angry. Jack looked into the face of death. "We need to talk," she said coldly.

Jack could only nod as Carter came along side. She seemed equally horrified. "Let's get you back to base. Doctor Fraiser needs to take a look at you." The Security Forces troops grabbed the whimpering seated man to hustle him out to the waiting vehicles. They jostled the other man and he moaned.

"Oh shit, he's alive," said Doctor Jackson. "We need a doctor in here!" he called out.

One of the SF troopers nodded, he reached for his radio as Shepard strode up to the dying man. She reached out with both her powerful hands and grasped his head.

"Shepard, no!" shouted Jack.

Shepard paused. Her already flexed arm muscles relaxed as she looked at him. O'Neill was taken aback. There was no longer any emotion on Shepard's face. No anger at whatever these people had done to her. No surprise at Jack barking a command to her. Nothing. Shepard was a machine, emotionless, pitiless, merciless. Jack had no doubt in his mind that Shepard would have wrenched that man's head clean off if he hadn't stopped her.

Victoria nodded. "Let's go."

Jack tried to suppress the gooseflesh as he looked into her eyes.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I don't know if we have any anesthesiologists in the audience, but if we do; did I come even close to getting the medication/dosage correct for this chapter? Of course Shepard has proved herself very resistant to sedation (like in 'The Arrival' DLC), but I'm a bit curious.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16:**

Lord Ba'al, Goa'uld System Lord, sat upon his throne. The gilded throne, like the rest of the throne room, was enormous. Everything about it, including the open flame torches and the flickering orange light they provided, conveyed the sense of power Ba'al wished to project to all who came before him. He was master of his domain, a living god to his Jaffa and human slaves. The goa'uld interlaced his fingers in thought. He was always thinking, always plotting; it was his way.

The goa'uld underling waddled into the throne room. Ba'al was internally disgusted at the sight. Like all goa'uld, Ba'al himself was a hedonist, but his tastes ran more _refined_ than this sloven idiot's. Still, he was technically brilliant, almost as much as him, so he tolerated his gluttony. The fact that he craved not personal power, but rather was content with satisfying his own urges, certainly helped his case as well.

"You summoned me, m'lord?" Nerus asked with less than the awe Ba'al normally required from his vassals. He picked a piece of meat from between his front teeth; examining it, he placed it on his tongue and smiled as he swallowed.

"Report on your analysis," Ba'al commanded.

Nerus wiped his hands clean on his stained robes. From the look on his face Ba'al could tell Nerus was thinking only of his next meal. "The chappa'ai does not know what happened." Ba'al began to rise from his throne, Nerus quickly continued in an attempt to avoid his wrath. "The diagnostic program I've hacked into…"

"_I've_ hacked into," Ba'al corrected him with growing anger.

"That that great Lord Ba'al has hacked into," Nerus continued with a bow and flourish trying to defuse the situation, "simply lists it as _unknown event_." His hands fidgeted nervously, "The system provides technical data for the occurrence, but no useful conclusions. System fail safes distributed the energy across the entire gate network."

"What, specifically, does it report?"

"The record shows a very abrupt very powerful energy spike originating at a single gate and dissipating across the network. Upon further scrutiny, the records also show several lower energy discharges at that chappa'ai, the tauri gate, and a third gate."

"Is that all?"

"No m'lord," Nerus responded. "The gate that experienced the high energy spike was not known to us. We know that the gate network is more expansive than the worlds we've visited, but until now your hacking software has been unable to reveal any new chappa'ai. This is probably due to an anti-hacking security measure built into the system. This _event_ seems to have changed that."

Ba'al interlocked his fingers and placed his chin upon them in deep thought. That was an interesting development, learning the locations of new chappa'ai would provide him a significant strategic advantage over the other System Lords; secret bases could be established, resources gathered in safety from attack. He leaned back in his throne, "Describe the _unknown events_ in order, do not abridge the log," he commanded. He stroked his close-shaven goatee as he listened.

Nerus consulted a data device, "The first event took place at the tau'ri gate two months ago. Strangely enough, the diagnostic system does not list an originating gate. The next event occurred between the tau'ri gate and the third gate I mentioned six days ago…"

"Why do we only learn of these events now?" demanded Ba'al in his deep bass voice, interrupting his minion.

"The hacking program only periodically contacts us with updates, and just now unearthed these data logs. The high energy event drew the program's attention and prompted it to scan for similar events, allowing us to detect the lower energy anomalies. Now that we know what to look for, however, we should be able to detect either of them in real time."

Ba'al nodded. "Continue," he commanded.

"Yes, m'lord," Nerus bowed his head and continued his report. "There was then a series of low energy _unknown events_ between that gate and the gate that experienced the powerful anomaly. Finally there was the single high-energy _unknown event_ and no further activity of a similar nature anywhere in the network since."

Ba'al pondered Nerus' report. It couldn't be coincidence that these events originated on Earth. The third planet involved was probably an intermediate location the tau'ri had visited. _Could they be testing a new device? A weapon perhaps?_ Ba'al immediately decided he wished to control such a weapon. Given the goa'uld proclivity for conquest, any edge he could eke out over the other System Lords was too tempting a prize to give up. It was curious, though, that there seemed to be two different types of occurrences; one highly energetic, the other seemingly benign. Lord Ba'al made his decision.

"Kree, Jaffa!" he called to his First Prime, standing just outside of the throne room.

The aged Jaffa swiftly entered and dropped to a knee. Head bowed, he said, "Kree hol mel, Ba'al. Command me, my Lord."

Ba'al keyed a device built into his throne. A holographic representation of the galaxy swirled into view. The stargates of interest, including the newly discovered one, were clearly marked. The positions Ba'al's forces were also annotated.

"Rise, Jaffa," Ba'al commanded. Ba'al's First Prime came to his feet and observed the display. "Prepare a squadron of stealth tel'tak. Provision them for long term reconnaissance, and give them each a long range communication device. Dispatch one to each of the two planets Nerus will indicate, and keep the rest ready for immediate dispatch. We will monitor these worlds, and any other which show this strange activity."

The Jaffa's eyes swept back and forth upon the display, "My lord, one of your mother ships is very near that planet where you have detected the mysterious energy at the unknown gate. We could divert it and begin surveillance immediately; it would be there in but a day."

Ba'al was pleased. He had noticed that option immediately, _a _very_ fortuitous coincidence_. Had his First Prime missed it he would have been put to death for incompetence. "Obey your god, divert the ship. Sortie one of the stealth tel'tak to the other world immediately; keep the rest on standby."

Ba'al looked at the display assessing the nature of the forces embarked on the ha'tak. He was pleased with what he saw; heavy ground units and support vessels, well suited to securing the planet. "I will receive the ha'tak's reconnaissance report the moment they arrive. Leave us." The Jaffa bowed deeply and withdrew from the room with a swish of his cape.

"You," Ba'al looked at Nerus. "Modify the program monitoring the chappa'ai's systems. I want to be notified immediately if more of these events occur, so we may dispatch our forces to investigate. Go now." Nerus licked his lips, obviously pondering his next meal once he left his lord's presence. "Do it before you eat," Ba'al concluded. Nerus dropped his gaze in dejection.


	18. Chapter 17

**Reader Discretion Advised:** This chapter contains depictions of graphic violence and torture. If you're squeamish about this sort of thing. You might want to skip this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 17**:

The members of SG-1, Doctor Fraiser, and General Hammond sat around the conference table in the SGC. In their fight against the goa'uld, they had seen horrors of varying magnitude. But, _this_ made them all pale in the face. _This_ was horrible. _This_ was monstrous. _This_ did not even seem to register on Shepard's face. _What _is_ this woman?_ they all thought in unison.

The 2-D holographic movie played from Shepard's omni-tool. It looked like any home video recording, save for it was suspended in mid-air above the conference table. Shepard's omni-tool had hacked it from the NID safe house's surveillance system. SG-1 watched, horrified, the attempted vivisection and euthanasia, _murder,_ of Commander Victoria Shepard.

The images made Carter squirm. She sat there and watched an unconscious _and naked_ Victoria lying on a table like so much meat. Normally vibrant and powerful, Shepard appeared utterly vulnerable. _And the scars!_ Carter had no idea how mutilated she truly was. _She wasn't one to go sneaking free peeks, even when Shepard was unconscious in the SGC medical bay; nor did she stare at the barbeque._ Carter found the cold and clinical description of Shepard's hysterectomy particularly off-putting. Two _doctors_ hovered over her and _studied_ her like she was some sort of lab animal. They spoke about her as if she were just some machine they were tinkering with. A scientific curiosity, it was so _dehumanizing_. The hairs on the back of Carter's neck stood on end.

Next to her, Doctor Fraiser was absolutely seething. She was witnessing the dark side of _medicine._ This was the sort of thing that they covered in medical ethics books as case studies in _'we __don't__ do this sort of thing; we have a sacred duty to _do no harm_'_. That anyone who called themselves a _doctor_ could perpetrate this on another human being was beyond her. _They were doing _Doctor_ Mengele proud._ She was doubly appalled at their poor surgical technique. _But that was just a bit of vanity, she took great pride in her skills as a surgeon._ From the look of the incision they had no intention of ever putting her right, _they didn't even sterilize the area_. This procedure was obviously the first of several, and Doctor Fraiser had no doubt in her mind that they wouldn't have stopped until they had extracted every gram of eezo in Shepard's body and parted out all of her prostheses for study.

She was also alarmed with how casually Shepard had regarded the wound as she sutured it in the SGC's medical wing. No anesthetic, no flinching, she had just sat there _observing_. Then there was the somewhat unnerving, _you do good work_, she had favored her with. It would seem that Shepard is no stranger to getting sewn up by doctors, _and she had certainly done a good job field dressing it before we got to her; one handed._ Also, apparently, the penicillin allergy listed in her medical records was there for liability purposes only; as she learned while prescribing a course of antibiotics to stave off infection from the less than sanitary _surgery_. Shepard's military-grade gene-mods fixed that particular defect; the lawyers just wanted it to stay on her file. _I guess some things just don't change._

SG-1 watched events unfold rapidly. Shepard fought off the anesthetic more quickly than any of them, especially Doctor Fraiser, thought humanly possible. One moment she was out cold, the next moment she was awake and had broken a man's wrist. Then, with a blue flash, she was behind the other doctor with a blade to his throat. _She's so damn fast_, was the common sentiment. General Hammond quietly wondered to himself if they could _possibly_ hope to control Shepard if she got it in her head she didn't want to cooperate with the SGC. _And all that without her bio-amp!_ It was a non-trivial tactical problem; he would consult with O'Neill after the debriefing.

Next, SG-1's jaws simultaneously dropped as they watched Shepard _slaughter_ one man, maim another, and methodically execute two more; all in the space of ten seconds. Not a shred of emotion crossed Shepard's face, neither in the video, nor in person. She was, for all intents and purposes, a machine. O'Neill suddenly wondered how often she had nightmares; he had declined to watch the surveillance footage of Shepard sleeping in the guest quarters so he didn't know for sure. _She's not a _psychopath_, this must affect her _somehow_._

The camera angle shifted to several new sources as they watched Shepard, still stark naked with a gaping hole in her arm and a tourniquet about her bicep, stride out of the surgical bay and stalk about the building for the man who had authorized her murder through an intercom. Shepard eventually found him in a control room attempting to wipe several banks of hard drives. The image cut out after Shepard subdued him, shattering one of his elbows in the process, and recovered her omni-tool.

The image disappeared. Shepard spoke up, "At this point I escorted my prisoner back to the surgical bay. The other doctor had tied a tourniquet around his leg and was trying to escape." She paused. "He didn't get far," she almost chuckled. _This is funny?_ thought O'Neill. "I secured my prisoners to two folding chairs and then dressed my own wound. I confirmed that my omni-tool had already called for help, as I had programmed it before I was ever authorized to leave the SGC, and that you were on your way. Then I proceeded with the interrogation." Without a pause she tapped a few commands on her omni-tool and the video started again. This time the image quality was substantially better, and it was full 3-D.

O'Neill pondered that tidbit as he leaned back to view the image. _She pre-programmed her omni-tool to call for help if she was ever taken?_ Jack couldn't decide if that was exceptional foresight or profound paranoia. _What else might she have programmed it to do?_ Either way, it might have saved her life. _It certainly saved _one_ of her prisoners'._

The image resolved to show two men tied to folding chairs. "What's your name?" Shepard's voice asked from off-camera. It seemed Shepard had placed the omni-tool on a table; the vantage point was roughly waist-height. She got no response from either of the bound men. "Who ordered you to do this to me?" No response. "What outfit are you with?" Still nothing.

Shepard's shadow moved about, she was doing something off-camera. They could hear the soft clanking of metal on metal. The two men looked at each other nervously. "Ok fellas, this is going to go a whole lot more smoothly if you just tell me what I want to know," Shepard's tone sounded downright reasonable. Still, no response from either of the bound men. The man from the control room looked indignant. "Alright, if you insist."

Shepard moved into view. She was still naked. In one hand were a few surgical implements; clamps, scalpels, forceps. She casually walked up to the doctor and grasped the scalpel lodged in his leg with her free hand. He howled as she worked it back and forth a few times. "Still nothing?" _Target-B_ bit his lip bloody in an effort to overcome the pain. He was afraid, but he still wouldn't talk. She wrenched the scalpel from his knee. He screamed again, his face turning white. She looked at them expectantly, they declined to speak. She shrugged.

Shepard dropped to her knees and removed the tourniquet from his leg; blood immediately welled up, soaking through his pant leg, and ran onto the floor. It pooled around her feet and knees. Shepard had obviously nicked something vital; the color was draining from his skin. She quickly removed the doctor's pants and undergarments. He started whimpering. He was losing a lot of blood. "This is your last chance," she said. Shepard was met with whimpering. She looked at the man from the control room. "You're next, take a good look." He stared at her, less indignant than before. Shepard took up a surgical clamp in her right hand and reached for the doctor's scrotum with her left.

"I don't know anything!" screamed the doctor. "They just hired me to examine you! It was all handled on their side. They just told me when and where to show up!"

Shepard looked at the man from the control room, "Do you want to elaborate on that?" He stared back at her. There was fear in his eyes, but he still said nothing. She shrugged and turned back towards the doctor. He howled. Then he passed out.

"Well that was disappointing," she said picking up a scalpel and coming to her feet. Her knees popped loudly. "I wanted to at least drive the point home with you as to how deft I am with a blade," she twirled the razor sharp implement in her hand. Her left hand, still twirling the scalpel, disappeared behind her back. Then the scalpel appeared from behind her shoulder, arced up and over her head, and was caught mid-flight with the same hand that had thrown it. She resumed twirling the blade. The man's eyebrows jumped. "So, shall we begin?"

Shepard took a step away from the bleeding doctor. She smiled when she realized she was leaving a trail of bloody footprints. "Tell me, are you un-circumcised like that other guy? Or can we skip 'step one'?" The man from the control room's face turned white. He wet his pants. She walked over to the man, kneeled in front of him, and un-did his pants. Doctor Jackson grimaced, that whole motion had a bizarrely sexual feel which nauseated him. _I wonder if she was making a show of it on purpose? _Daniel thought. She looked down. "Lucky you," Victoria said.

He was obvious utterly terrified. The fact that she was completely naked, covered in blood, and totally emotionless just added to the horror. "So, here's where you tell me what you know; who you're working for, why they want me, and what you were going to do with the stuff you took from me. Otherwise," she paused, "well, I think you know the _otherwise_ at this point." She flipped the scalpel in the air, it tumbled, and she caught it leveling the blade less than a centimeter from his genitals. The man gasped.

A cell phone rang off camera. The man from the control room snapped his attention to the sound. Shepard smiled a terrifying predatory grin. Jack O'Neill leaned toward the table. Even he found the performance convincing. "Saved by the bell, ehh?" Shepard walked off camera and came back with the cell phone. She leaned over and pressed the scalpel to his neck. The doctor roused slightly and started whimpering.

"I presume this is your boss calling to ask how things are going?" The man from the control room nodded emphatically. "You are going to tell him everything is going fine." He nodded. "You're going to tell him that you're ready to proceed with the next phase of your operation." He nodded. "You'll ask him if he has any additional instructions." He nodded. "You will _not_ let on what's happened here. That's to say, you will _not_ use any code phrases indicating you're under duress." He looked at her with a jaw-dropped expression. "I'll know if you do, and it will not end well for you." She applied a few ounces of pressure with the scalpel to accentuate her point. It broke the skin; blood trickled out around the edges of the blade. "Do you understand?" He nodded. "Good," she said and she gave the doctor a savage kick to the side of the head with a biotic blur. Out cold, he stopped whimpering.

Shepard set her omni-tool to record and trace the call. Then she opened the cell phone and held it to the man's ear. The voice that came through the cell phone, loud and crystal clear via Shepard's omni-tool recording, was so surprising that Jack jumped to his feet. "Thomison, report," commanded none other than Senator Kinsey himself.

Shepard looked at the man intently. "Sir. Procedure is underway now."

"Excellent. Any trouble with the medication? Our information says she might be immune." O'Neill's eyebrow arched. _They're obviously reading our medical reports._

"Yes, sir. The doctor is aware of that. He's keeping ahead of it at the moment. We're almost ready for phase two."

There was a pause. Kinsey hummed through the phone, "Getting the eezo and tech out of her body is your top priority. If it comes down to killing her to keep her asleep," he didn't even pause, "kill her." General Hammond turned beet red. "I want her put down and disposed of once we have what we want anyway." O'Neill balled his hands up into fists, released them in an attempt to remain calm, and balled them again. Despite the horror of what they were hearing, surprisingly, SG-1 remained silent; transfixed by the sights and sounds of the recording. "Is that understood?"

"Understood, sir," the man replied. The phone disconnected. He looked at Shepard.

Shepard smiled wolfishly, "You know what I've learned about interrogating people?" she asked. "It's not so much about hurting them, than it is showing them how much you _can_ hurt them." The sound of vehicles skidding to a halt outside caught their attention. SG-1 and the rescue team had arrived. "You got off lucky." The Shepard in the image sighed; she would not have an opportunity to beat this man any further. She backhanded him across the face and walked out of the camera's field of view.

The recording ended.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. As I said before; work is heating up a bit, so I think I'll be switching to updates every two weeks or so, rather than weekly. Thanks for the understanding, and stay tuned.


	19. Chapter 18

**Author's** **Note:**

Welcome back everyone. Thank you to everyone who has left comments so far, I really appreciate the feedback. Please keep it coming. I hope you enjoy this week's posting.

* * *

**Chapter 18**:

"That son of a bitch!" O'Neill was livid. _The motherfucker!_ This went beyond the constant jockeying for political power that they had come to expect from the _good_ Senator, this was cold blooded murder.

For his part, General Hammond was keeping a lid on his emotions; verbally, at least. His bald scalp flushed with anger, "At ease, Colonel."

O'Neill tried to calm himself, he honestly tried. Shepard was strange. She was foreign to him. She was arrogant at times, and had an infuriating ability to trivialize the trials and tribulations of the SGC and their fight against the goa'uld. But, Shepard was one of _his _people. She had joined their struggle in the defense of Earth. She was a member of _his_ command. An attack on her was an attack on _him_. _Someone tried to _dissect_ and murder one of my people!_

"So, we're just going to do nothing?" asked O'Neill incredulously.

"The President has decided our interests will not be best served by exposing the Senator at this time."

"He's playing politics with Shepard's life?"

Hammond scowled. He obviously didn't like it either. "He's given us our orders as our Commander in Chief, and we will carry them out."

O'Neill took a deep breath, "What about the guy Shepard _didn't_ kill? The moment he talks to a lawyer or something the good Senator is going to know we're on to him. I'm sure he'll start maneuvering to limit the damage the President can do to him." Jack hated it, but the word had come down, this is the way it was going to be. _If we're going to do this, we need to make sure we do this right,_ he thought. "We'll need to stash him somewhere. Or can we leave him in a room with Shepard for a few minutes and see what happens?"

Hammond set his jaw rather than respond to that last comment. He enjoyed working with Colonel O'Neill. He was a consummate professional, fearless, and utterly dedicated to those under his command, so he allowed his informal attitude when they were alone. The General felt the same way about the intrigue, but as a professional he too wanted to make sure they could carry out their directive. "He's already on his way to Gitmo."

O'Neill arched his eyebrow, "Not bad," he chuckled. "Who's taking him there? If word breaks out around the SGC it might get back to Kinsey."

"SEAL Team 7. The Admiral was kind enough to help us out. He didn't take kindly to someone assaulting one of his SEALs; even if she's only an adopted one." He paused. "So far as the Senator or anyone in NID knows, Shepard killed every last person in that building making her escape. Our reports on the matter will reflect that story."

O'Neill pondered that for a moment. Then he sighed, "I'm glad you could get that thing with the _trident_ sorted out. It really pained me to tell her to keep a low profile, even if she didn't seem to care."

"I met the Admiral when I served in Vietnam. He's a good man. Once I explained what was going on, he got right on board." Hammond paused, "I'm just glad he was in on the Stargate Program, otherwise I could never have mentioned it."

"Well, sir, I can't say I'm pleased with the Kinsey situation, but I'm sure we'll make it work out in the end." He paused, "I'm a bit more concerned with Shepard, though. There's way more to that woman than _any_ of us realized, and I'm not just talking the coldblooded murdering part."

To a certain extent, of course, the members of the SGC were aware that Shepard was capable of such acts of carnage; her descriptions of the Reaper War and the Skyllian Blitz were downright horrific. But watching it un-edited and hovering over your conference table was somewhat different than anecdotal evidence from Shepard's autobiography; after all, _seeing _was_ believing_. Both men silently wondered what she might have left out of the _sea stories_ she'd told her debriefing officers.

"I agree. I don't like being suckered."

"We can't send her to Gitmo too," O'Neill observed. "Like it or not, she's valuable. I think she just needs to start being a team player…" O'Neill was interrupted by the buzzing intercom.

"General, Commander Shepard is here for you, sir," said Walter through the small speaker.

Hammond grimaced. _This conversation is going to be awkward. _"Send her in, Walter."

* * *

"General," Shepard said as she opened the door, "you sent for me, sir?"

"Yes," Shepard stood before his desk, back ramrod straight, at attention. She wore the green Marine Corps-style digital-cammo fatigues she seemed most comfortable in. The sleeves were rolled up, her right forearm and elbow bandaged. On her breast she wore the Navy 'SEAL Trident' at the request of the Admiral in charge of the Naval Special Warfare Command.

It had come to his attention that the Commander, despite being an N7 and, thus, authorized by the President to wear the SEAL badge, had been asked to leave it off of her uniform to maintain a low profile. The Admiral would have none of that, and he had made that clear to his old friend George Hammond. She was an officer in the United States Navy, a hero to humanity, a SEAL so far as he was concerned. _If anyone had a problem with a _woman_ wearing the SEAL badge, they could talk to _him_._ Alas, he had agreed, however, that wearing the Medal of Honor ribbon _would_ attract too much attention; even if Shepard decided to wear it only while on duty in the SGC as she had the SEAL badge. She couldn't palm _that_ off with the same excuse they'd generated for the _trident_; there were no 'pilot programs' when it came to the Medal of Honor. Shepard would just have to forego that. _For now, at least._

Hammond looked at the Commander. She was an intimidating presence, despite the neutral facial expression. The General knew he was looking into the eyes of a killer; the video she'd shown left no doubt in his mind about that. "Do you know why I called you in here?"

"You're going to tell me that we're not going after Senator Kinsey. That the President has decided that having something to hold over him is much more useful than locking him up; _or me killing him_," she replied matter-of-factly. "You're also going to tell me that I should feel lucky that they're not going to lock me up for killing those men, or attempting to torture my prisoners; _despite the fact that they all had it coming."_ Shepard paused, "I've dealt with politicians before, sir."

Hammond nearly lost his cool. _Nearly._ "This isn't the Citadel, Commander. You are not a Spectre here. You just brutally killed three people, and you allowed a fourth to die of his injuries when you probably could have saved him. Even justifying those first three is a stretch considering how easily you disarmed them. That man that bled to death is wholly unacceptable. By rights, you should be tried by a court martial, and then, most likely, shot."

Hammond didn't turn to look at a non-descript piece of paper on his desk. It contained a request to the local JAG officer that one Commander Victoria Shepard be investigated for the crime of murder. Hammond's professionalism made his skin crawl at what he saw her do on that video. They'd been overtaken by events, however, and that piece of paper would soon be shredded. Besides, it was really only one of those angry letters that you write in the heat of the moment with no intention of actually sending; just to help get your thoughts organized and begin the process of calming down.

"But since the President now has some dirt on the Senator," Shepard observed smugly, "none of that will happen." Shepard paused, "And I'm sure that there's more than enough dirt to keep the Senator from messing with this unit's funding anymore." Shepard couldn't help but rub it in, "Human politicians are a bit more predictable than their alien counterparts, sir."

Now Hammond _did_ lose his cool, but only for a moment. "I don't know how it is where you come from, Commander, but here we respect our superiors," he paused, "and the law." He stood, came around his desk, and walked up to the Commander. "You removed that man's tourniquet and he bled to death. He was your prisoner, and helpless. And don't tell me for a second that you wouldn't have snapped his neck if Colonel O'Neill hadn't shouted for you to stop."

"He was going to die before we could get him to a hospital anyway, he lost too much blood; probably even before I took the tourniquet off. It was the _merciful_ thing to do," Shepard responded coolly. "Also, I _am_ a Spectre."

"That's not the point Commander," Hammond knew she was right, of course, "and I've already said that Spectre business won't fly with me either. Worse still, you lied to us," he motioned to O'Neill who stood silently to the side. "You led us to believe you couldn't use your biotics without your amp, and it seems you've downplayed your omni-tool's capabilities as well." Hammond regained his composure, "May I assume the biotics demonstration you gave us offworld was similarly censored?"

"You may, sir," said Shepard.

Hammond took a breath. He was stuck. He couldn't get rid of Shepard; the SGC was probably the only place on the planet where Shepard would be _safe_. The NID couldn't touch her again, so long as she remained in the mountain. But could he trust her? Could he risk the lives of his command by keeping Shepard among them? Her lying about her capabilities was worse than the lives she took. While he couldn't ever tell her so, Hammond did agree that _they had it coming_. He also felt that leaving _only_ one prisoner alive to interrogate simplified the cover-up immensely, another thought he'd never share with her. He felt dirty at the thought. _He was better than that, they were _all_ better than that._

But he wasn't sure that he could _use_ her anymore. Plus, he was also now convinced that they'd be hard pressed to kill Shepard, _and that's what it would take_, if she decided to be uncooperative. O'Neill agreed. They'd probably have to gas her in her sleep. They could see about getting a small canister of Sarin from the proving grounds at Dugway. Otherwise she might bring the entire mountain down on their heads.

As if sensing the thoughts passing through his mind, Shepard spoke, "Sir, if you're wondering if I'll continue to serve the SGC or if you'll have to kill me, you can rest easy. I would never do anything to jeopardize the security or effectiveness of your command. Despite the absence of a Reaper threat, this planet still has its enemies, and I'll defend Earth; as I always have." She was silent for a moment, then she turned to O'Neill, "I know you've been discussing killing me with the General. You're right, that would be your only recourse if I ever decided to not play along. I'd like to avoid that mistrust instead of trying to keep one eye open while I sleep for the rest of my life." She turned to look at the General, "I am sorry I lied to you, sir, and I pledge never to do so again. Please know, though, that I didn't intend you nor Colonel O'Neill any disrespect. I just did not know enough about the situation to entrust myself fully to you. Hindsight being 20-20, I think I made the right choice. I believe your Kurt Cobain said; _just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you_."

General Hammond processed that last comment. Deep down, he believed her; it wasn't personal. _And it _had_ saved her life._ His anger with and distrust of the Commander began to ebb. In time it might even wane completely.

* * *

_So, this is it?_ Shepard looked into the eyes of the man who would either take her at her word, or order her death. He had no other choice, and, like him or not, she wouldn't go down without a fight. _How did it come to this?_ Shepard wondered. She still didn't know what had truly happened to bring her here, but she couldn't believe that the Reaper-Shepard or whatever it was that she became would send her, _re-substantiate her_, here only to leave her to rot at the hands of primitives. _Oh Liara,_ she thought, _what I wouldn't give to see you, just one more time._

Hammond opened his mouth as if to speak when the alarm activated, "Unscheduled offworld activation!" Hammond looked at O'Neill, and then they both hustled past her and out the door towards the control room. Despite not being dismissed, she decided to follow them. Upon entering the control room, Shepard heard Walter say, "It's SG-5, sir. They're broadcasting the _danger-close_ IDC."

Hammond leaned over to the microphone, keying the button, "Defense teams to the gate room. Incoming hostiles," SF troopers began pouring into the gate room and manning their weapons. Suddenly lightning bolts erupted from the stargate. The stench of ozone assailed Shepard's nostrils, she grimaced. Hammond looked her, "This is just like what happened when you came through."

_Holy shit!_ Shepard's thoughts raced. A small flame of hope lit within her. _Could it be? _Shepard wasn't a religious person, but she said a silent prayer.

Staff weapon blasts flashed from the event horizon adding to the already substantial light show. The defense team ducked behind their blast shields as SG-5 leapt, rolled, and fell down the ramp. "Walter, hit the iris!"

Walter's hand flashed to the iris control, but nothing happened. "Sir, iris not responding," he said while slapping the button repeatedly. The blast shield lowered into place automatically. They could hear the dull ring of a staff weapon blast impacting the heavy steel plate.

Shepard disappeared in a biotic blur, startling Colonel O'Neill and General Hammond. She was gone faster than either of them could even form the thought to question her motives. Shepard raced down the stairs from the control room into the corridor. She sprinted away from the gate room passing another squad of SF troopers. She could hear the gunpowder weapons firing along with the staff weapons and the lightning. There must be Jaffa in the gate room. _I need to hurry!_ Shepard thundered past a confused Doctor Fraiser while she ran to the storage locker and ripped the door off with a flash of biotics. Captured goa'uld devices and prescription pain killers clattered out of the secure storage as she reached for the small metal container containing her amp.

"Shepard, what are you doing?" she heard Doctor Fraiser say as she pulled her amp port cover off and gently slotted the device home. Victoria felt a delicious tingling through all of her nerves as the amp activated. She replaced the port cover, turned, winked at the doctor, and disappeared in a biotic storm.


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:**

This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence and gore; reader discretion is advised.

* * *

**Chapter 19:**

O'Neill was beginning to worry; the situation in the gate room was deteriorating rapidly. A dozen or so Jaffa had already come through the gate. The defense team was pouring the fire on them, but without a working iris they might be in it for the long haul. Two airmen and a Marine were already down. _And those 50-cal's chew through ammunition like no one's business._ The only saving grace was that the lighting storm, or whatever it was, seemed to be striking the Jaffa more than the airmen. _Probably because they're all standing on the ramp instead of hiding behind something heavy, or maybe that _chainmail_ crap they're always wearing,_ thought the Colonel.

A Jaffa came through the gate with a large sphere on his shoulder. _A bomb!_ It was one of those almost comical-looking explosive devices the goa'uld were fond of. If it only had a fizzling black powder fuse it would be straight out of a cartoon. _Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb,_ the old Adam West line jumped into Jack's head. Alas, this was no joke, those things were immensely powerful. If that bomb went off, it would gut the entire Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Jack took a closer look, peering around the iron sights of his P90, _and it's already armed!_

Suddenly a glowing blue blur streaked past him and impacted the Jaffa furthest down the ramp. With a flash, a thunderclap, and blur of billowing fire-red hair Shepard appeared where the Jaffa had been standing. The Jaffa rocketed back up the ramp tripping up three others. The one carrying the bomb dropped it, and it began rolling down the ramp. Jack O'Neill had just witnessed his first display of _true_ biotic power.

_It would not be the last._

Victoria Shepard, with murder on her face, wound up into an under-hand pitch and _threw_ what looked like a blue ball of light at the remaining Jaffa on the ramp. With a thump and an odd ringing sound the Jaffa, enveloped in a Cherenkov-like blue glow, floated off of the metal grating thrashing wildly. Shepard followed up with a side-arm throw of another blue glowing ball. The floating Jaffa detonated upon impact. The sound was deafening, one of the SF troopers screamed and clutched a bleeding ear. A Jaffa literally came apart and bloody pieces of him showered down on the defense team.

Without warning a new figure tumbled through the stargate. _Oh shit! Another one!_ Jack thought as another _space-armor_ clad woman rolled down the ramp. She rolled to a stop and sat up against a dead Jaffa. She was immediately hit in the shoulder by a staff blast through the event horizon. Shepard howled. The cry, drowning out the roaring machinegun fire, made Jack's blood curdle. It was if all that was good had gone from the world. _Shepard was agony._

* * *

_Lara! No!_ Shepard screamed. She had dared to hope that the universe was showing mercy on its humble servant; reuniting its hero with her true beloved. The moment Hammond said that the light show looked like when she came through she knew. She just _knew_. But _no! Not like this!_

Shepard sprinted up the ramp. Her thoughts screamed within her head. _I need to make sure Liara is ok! But first thing's first._ Without breaking stride she took up the odd looking bomb, enveloped it in a mass effect field, and threw it towards the event horizon. Bomb mid-flight, another Jaffa came through the stargate. Shepard deployed her omni-blade and, with her best _war cry_, she gave the Jaffa an uppercut. The blade entered mid-abdomen, and exited dead-center between the shoulder blades; steam escaping from the freshly micro-manufactured surface. Shepard screamed in the dying Jaffa's face, spittle flying from her lips onto his cheeks and into his eyes. Victoria watched the life drain from his eyes, and she dropped him to the ramp.

The bomb transited the event horizon and the stargate abruptly disengaged. Shepard could only imagine what the opposite side looked like now. _Boy, am I glad we did those experiments when we left for Mars,_ she thought to herself. Victoria swept her eyes over the carnage. At least a dozen and a half Jaffa, clad in their absurd looking chainmail, littered the ramp. Two SF troopers and a Marine were down, they looked fairly charred. One of them wasn't moving at all, some of the others moaned. One of the Jaffa was moaning as well. Shepard crushed his skull with a biotic-assisted stomp. She twisted her boot-heel grinding the grey matter into paste.

_Liara!_ "Liara! Baby, are you ok!" Shepard screamed and she jumped down the ramp and crashed to a stop beside her. Of course she couldn't be sure it was Liara at this point, all she could tell was he/she was wearing female-form civilian body armor rigged for hard-vacuum. _But who else would it be?_ Whoever it was, she wasn't moving.

"Please be ok!" The armor's kinetic barriers hadn't done shit to stop the staff weapon blast. Though, that shouldn't be surprising, they were optimized against kinetic energy weapons. The armor itself had taken the brunt of the blast. Her whole shoulder was charred black; Shepard couldn't tell if it was charred armor of flesh. _Please be ok!_

Shepard reached up and quickly, but gently, removed the helmet. _Beloved! It's you, it's really you!_ Shepard could have burst into tears at that very moment, she was so happy. But, she was also terrified. _No! Please be ok! Please don't be hurt!_ Liara's face was slack, her eyes closed, she was unconscious. _No! No no no no!_ Shepard tried to shove the panic back down to where it couldn't hurt her, but she was barely holding on by a thread.

_Think Shepard! Don't panic, think!_ Her thoughts shouted at her. _Remember your training! She'll be ok, check for injuries, treat as required._ She remembered what she'd learned at the N7 'villa'. Shepard activated her omni-tool and scanned her mate. _2__nd__ degree burns to the shoulder. No broken bones. No internal bleeding. No obvious nerve damage._ Shepard fumbled at Liara's belt. _Come on! All body armor has slots for medi-gel!_ She found it and quickly, but expertly, applied it to the burn. _She'll be ok! She has to be ok!_

"Liara," Shepard said into Liara's _ear_, trying to keep the panic from her voice, "honey, are you ok?"

Liara's eyes fluttered. They opened. A moment later they came into focus. She smiled.

"I love you, Shepard."

"I love you, Liara."

They kissed.


	21. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20:**

"How long have they been at it?"

"I don't know, maybe a couple of hours? Since Shepard got her out of her armor."

"Is anyone else creeped out by that? It's like the damn _X-Files_ in there."

After the firefight in the gate room, Shepard had carried Liara back to the medical wing and gingerly removed her armor. She had made sure to stay out of Doctor Fraiser's way as she and her team tended to the wounded airmen and marines. No one paid them any attention as Shepard tenderly redressed her mate in some hospital scrubs. That seemed to suit Liara fine, she was a bit shyer about her nudity than Shepard was about hers.

Unexpectedly, she and Liara had handed Doctor Fraiser the remaining medi-gel from Liara's armor's belt pouch and told her how to apply it. Liara's burns would heal themselves, they didn't need any more of it, and she wanted to help. They had quite probably saved Corporal Jones' life. _Lord I wish we had more of that stuff,_ Doctor Fraiser thought to herself. Fortunately there weren't any NID assholes here to confiscate it before she could use it. _Medicine is meant to save lives, not sit in a lab,_ she thought angrily.

General Hammond joined SG-1 and Doctor Fraiser as they observed the Commander. Shepard sat, as she had since she carried Liara in, at her bedside. The Asari laid on her side as not to put pressure on her burnt shoulder, already nearly healed. Shepard held her hand with both of hers; she held it to her cheek, and smiled warmly with her eyes closed. Shepard's face was bliss, happier than anyone in the SGC had ever seen it before. Liara's facial expression was even, but her eyes were a frighteningly dark oily black.

Hammond and O'Neill had wanted to debrief Shepard and Liara almost immediately. It was obvious to them who had just arrived, but they wanted to discuss the implications. One look from Shepard dissuaded him. She hadn't given him her death stare; she hadn't even tried to intimidate him. She didn't have to; the look of joy on her face was enough. Hammond couldn't stand in the way of that, even for a few minutes. The animosity he had felt towards her not twenty minutes ago had all but bled away seeing the smile of a woman reunited with her love. There would be time for debriefings later.

"Is this the _joining_ Shepard spoke about in her debriefings?" General Hammond asked.

"I can only assume so, sir," responded Doctor Fraiser.

"Should we give them some privacy?" asked O'Neill, "I mean, are they _doin'_ it?"

Carter grimaced at the joke, but he had a point, _what _were_ they doing?_ "Maybe they're just catching up, sirs?"

Hammond pondered that for a moment. He was intrigued by Liara T'soni, he'd obviously never seen an Asari before. From what Shepard had said she must be a remarkable woman. _And the photos do _not_ do her justice. _With a start he worried that he might not be the only one to find Liara alluring. Shepard had spoken at length as to how most species from her reality were enamored with the Asari. The SGC's experiences with the goa'uld Hathor still left a bitter taste in his mouth. He resolved to consult with Doctor Fraiser on if there could be some sort of pheromones at work.

Still, General Hammond certainly couldn't begrudge them taking some time to catch up. If one thing from Shepard's debriefings stood out, it was her utter and complete love for this Asari. In the meantime, he concerned himself with the safety of his command and his subordinates. "Your report Doctor Fraiser?" he asked.

"Three serious injuries, all staff weapon blasts. A number of minor wounds and some ruptured ear drums from whatever explosion Shepard set off in there, but I'm not concerned about them."

"And Corporal Jones?"

"Lucky to be alive, sir," Janet responded matter-of-factly. "He should be dead, he was _very_ badly burned. Liara's medi-gel saved him." She looked at the heavily bandaged Marine; he _should_ have been in a body bag. In fact, he and the other two serious injuries would most likely make full recoveries. "I'd _kill_ to get my hands on more of that stuff, sir," she said with a surprising amount of emotion.

"Colonel, the Jaffa?"

"Bagged and tagged, sir," O'Neill responded, "all symbiotes accounted for and destroyed." _Good, the last thing they needed was some stray goa'uld taking an SGC member as a host._ O'Neill looked at the _happy couple_, he sighed, "Ok, someone at NID is going to say this, so I might as well just broach it now." He had the group's attention. "The SGC was breached, several men were wounded, some of whom _should_ be dead. We would have probably been able to avoid that if we got the iris closed after SG-5 came through, but that light-show jammed up the works." The group looked at him, they knew where he was going, but they let him continue, "I really don't want to be _that guy_," he made a set of 'air quotes' with his fingers, "but Liara T'soni nearly cost us the entire complex." He was, obviously, referring to the bomb the Jaffa had managed to bring into the gate room.

"And wasn't that supposed to be a _safe_ world?" asked Jackson. "Those gate coordinates weren't on the Abydos cartouche. How did SG-5 even get bushwhacked in the first place?"

General Hammond agreed. They had nearly lost everything. He was sure that it wasn't intentional, and it appeared that everything would work out ok, _but…_ But, the Colonel was right; someone higher up the chain was going to give them grief about this. Then he chuckled to himself, _it seems holding something over the good Senator will be useful sooner than he had thought._ The General found the idea of blackmail distasteful, the very notion of back room politics did not sit well with the career military officer, but it appeared there was no escaping the reality of the situation. _Also, Jackson made a very good point, undoubtedly someone at NID would try lumping _that_ on Shepard and Liara as well_, he thought.

"Colonel, Doctor Jackson," Hammond said evenly, "we'll cross those bridges when we come to them. In the meantime, we'll be happy that things turned out as well as they did," he paused, "and grateful that Corporal Jones will make a recovery." He looked at Corporal Jones and his commander Major Harper who had come to check up on his wounded SG-5 team member.

The assembled nodded.

"General Hammond?" a new voice asked. They turned to the bed where Liara laid. Her eyes were no longer black, they had returned to their rich blue-within-blue. Shepard also looked at them. Her eyes shone with what must have been tears of joy. They had never seen her smile so broadly. Shepard's world was perfect, complete once more. _She smiles?_ the group thought in unison.

Soft, polite, precise, Liara spoke, "I am very sorry that my arrival caused you and your command harm. It was never our intention to put you at risk, and I am glad your man will recover. Victoria has just explained to me where I am, and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have, but," she paused and looked at Shepard with a smile. "But," she continued as Shepard started chuckling, "I need some alone time with the missus."

"Indeed," Teal'c said matter-of-factly.

* * *

_Beloved! It's you!_ Shepard's thoughts resonated through the bond. Shepard felt joy, more than she knew possible. She was whole again. She'd cheated death, _again_. Shepard could feel the feelings reciprocated. Liara broadcasted her own love and the emotions self-reinforced into a single rapturous joy. _This is even better than when we make love_, Shepard thought.

_There'll be time for that later,_ Liara responded. Shepard's entire being filled with beautiful warmth.

_You're here! How are you here?_ Shepard was curious, but she didn't really care. All that mattered was that she was here. They were together, that's enough. The war was over, they were safe, and they were together!

_As your people say, it is a long story,_ Liara responded through the bond.

Shepard saw rather than heard Liara's elaboration:

The Reapers disengaging from combat throughout the galaxy. The allied forces shifting from combat operations to humanitarian relief missions. The Reapers helping. _The Reapers helping!_ Reaper capital ships, including _Harbinger_, working to reassemble the broken relay network. Reaper destroyers sifting through rubble, rebuilding infrastructure, and towing damaged starships to safety and repair. Husks and Marauders delivering humanitarian supplies and liberating indoctrination centers. Banshees, Rachni, and Brutes making themselves scarce as to not terrify the populace. The allied races regarded the Reapers warily, but they were so grateful for help it didn't matter.

_They are helping us rebuild, my beloved,_ Liara said joyously.

But Shepard could feel another emotion. There was trepidation. The Reapers were helping, but people were afraid. There was no compassion. They kept the peace, but with a brutal efficiency. A minor Krogan clan had risen up against Urdnots Wrex and Bakara and their vision of a peaceful Krogan renaissance. The Reapers had annihilated them before Wrex could even organize his forces to quell the insurrection. There would be no repeat of the Krogan Rebellions, or the Rachni War for that matter, but there was fear. _What else might trigger the Reapers' wrath?_

There was peace, but at what price?

_Oh god, did I make a mistake?_ Shepard was filled with a sudden dread. Had she traded the threat of immediate destruction at the hands, _well tentacles really_, of the Reapers for a protracted terror? Was their reprieve a temporary respite until they ran afoul of the un-knowable machine intelligence's ideal of galactic stability? Would Shepard's own values or hang-ups, somehow assimilated or co-opted by the Reapers, lead to the genocide of an entire race? _I've done horrible things; I'm a _monster_, what have I unleashed upon the galaxy?_

The bond flooded with a feeling of comfort and love. _Peace, beloved,_ Liara soothed her, _you made the right decision. You gave the Reapers a moral compass, and they could not have asked for a greater paragon of an example._

Shepard calmed substantially.

_I was afraid I had made a mistake. I took a huge risk. I just wanted to be with you again! _Victoria flashed her rationale for controlling the Reapers to Liara, her hope that they could still join after the transformation. _I was selfish. I was _presumptuous_. _Shepard wept; so much as she could in the bond at least.

_Yes, you were._ There was a very brief flash of coldness, but then Liara resumed the projection of happiness. _I know why you did what you did. There were risks, yes, but it worked. We are together again, and the galaxy is safe._ Shepard could feel Liara smile. _The galaxy wanted you to be happy, and now we have that chance._

Shepard was met with a flood of images. Urdnots Bakara and Wrex surrounded by scores of young Krogan, the horizon littered with construction cranes. Jacob Taylor and his infant son. The Justicar Samara and her daughter lounging in a garden. Tali'Zora, un-masked and silken black hair billowing in the wind, in Garrus Vakarian's tender embrace. The Citadel, intact and whole, glittering with life, suspended gracefully above mother Earth; Earth no longer burned. Liara and an Asari child.

_Wait! Was that our…_

_Yes, beloved, _Liara thought with mixed joy and fear, _our daughter, Victoria._

Shepard was confused. _When you showed me your memories? Before the final push?_

_Yes. _Liara paused for a moment. _You hoped I would, did you not?_ She smiled in the bond.

Shepard's confusion mounted. _Wait. How much time has passed?_ A sudden spike of fear, _You wouldn't leave our baby, what happened?_

Shepard could feel Liara's anxiety. She broadcasted assurances to her mate. Calmed substantially, Liara continued, _It has been almost three years. It took that long for the Reapers to understand what had happened to you._

_They came to me on Thessia, _Harbinger_ itself. It explained that the Reaper intelligence was now a Reaper-Shepard gestalt. It bore witness to your sacrifice, explained your gift. They had already communicated to us their intentions, but never had they given us details on what had happened to you. _Harbinger_ said that they had tried to re-_substantiate_ you using the mass relays; they were the only things with enough power to convert energy into that much matter. Something unexpected had happened. You did not appear where they thought you would._

Shepard chuckled through the bond, _That's an understatement._

Liara continued, _They believed they had finally understood what went wrong. They were willing to try again, but I would have to go to you, you could not come to me._

A flash of fear, _Is our baby ok?_

Comforting, _Of course my love. Liara T'soni and her daughter Victoria live, happily and healthily, in the home that once belonged to the Lady Benezia in Armali._

Confusion, _Then who are you? You're not Liara?_

_I am as much Liara T'soni as you are Victoria Shepard. _A pause_. We are both shadows of the women we used to be. The Reaper-Shepard gestalt wanted to honor your sacrifice; you saved them from their amoral corruption, delivered the galaxy from their destruction, and entrusted its care to them. They _owed_ you! They knew the one thing you wanted most, what prompted you to take a chance on them, so they tried to give it to you._

_And when they realized they couldn't return me to you, they asked if you wanted to come to me? Or at least a copy of you._

_Precisely my love. Liara T'soni joined her consciousness to the Reapers. Then they sent _me _here._

Shepard pondered that. She wasn't Victoria Shepard, and Liara wasn't really Liara T'soni. The Asari she had met on Therum still lived, _with my daughter_, in the _other_ place. Then again, _she_ had never really been to Therum, had she?

Liara was conspicuously silent through the bond; she was letting her think it through on her own. So Victoria Shepard had died on the Citadel when she joined her consciousness to the Reapers, yet here she was. Liara T'soni had delivered a daughter and was raising her on her own on Thessia, yet she was _also_ here. The _other_ Liara gave the gift of herself to this _place_, knowing she'd never see it. She wasn't a philosopher, she was a marine; this was all almost too much.

_Do you love me?_ Shepard asked her mate through the bond.

_Of course, beloved; forever and always,_ the response.

_Then that's good enough for me_, she concluded.

The bond strengthened, a nearly euphoric joy encompassed them both. They were one once more. Death couldn't keep them apart, nor could different dimensions or realities or whatever this was. She'd let Major Carter ponder on the physics. All she knew, or cared, was that she was with her beloved.

_Shall we live happily ever after?_ Liara asked.

_Yes my love,_ Shepard paused, _I hope you don't mind. I told all these people that we're married._

Liara's warm smile enveloped her through the bond, That _is something we can rectify easily._

As the bond faded, Victoria urged caution, _Don't tell them too much until I can explain things in more detail. They know who you are, including your Shadow Broker persona, but they don't know what you're capable of. Let's keep it that way for now_. She sent the briefest of flashes of what she had just experienced at the hands of those who would exploit them. Liara shivered in the bond.

With that, the joining ended. Liara blinked and looked to see a group of several people looking at them with intent curiosity. Through the bond, even though they hadn't really _discussed_ it, Liara knew who these people were. Shepard held them in high regard, and so would she. She also knew that Shepard had sworn to help these people defend Earth. Part of her wept that the struggle continued, but she was also proud of Victoria for never turning down someone in need. _We'll find a way of retiring soon enough_, she comforted herself.

She missed her daughter, but she knew she was alive and well, and that her _other_ self was there for her. It was a strange feeling to say the least. _There will be time to have our own family here,_ she consoled herself.

In the meantime, she owed these people _some_ answers. But, first things first, _it's been three years! _She looked at the older man with the bald head and spoke, "General Hammond…"


	22. Chapter 21

**A/N:**

Welcome back everyone. Thanks again for all of the great comments. I hope you enjoy the latest installment.

* * *

**Chapter 21: **

"Please be seated," General Hammond said as he entered the conference room. Major Harper, commander of SG-5, and the members of SG-1 eased themselves back into their plush conference chairs.

"Major Carter," Hammond said nodding to her, "do you have the tech report from the ordinance folks?"

"Yes, sir. They just finished going through the telemetry."

"Very well, Major. We'll get to that in a moment," Hammond said. He shifted his gaze to Major Harper, "Major Harper, please give us your report on your mission."

"Sir, will Commander Shepard be joining us?"

"No Major, she's," he paused, "_indisposed_, at the moment." Harper's eyebrows jumped.

"Very well, sir," Harper said mechanically, "At 0830 this morning we deployed a MALP to the test area indicated by SG-1 on P3Y-88499." He nodded to Colonel O'Neill. "MALP telemetry showed no hostile presence, and no abnormal radiological or chemical hazards. At 0845 SG-5 transited the stargate and began its assessment." He looked down at his notes. Of course his report had already been filed electronically, but Major Harper preferred the tactile sensation of reading his own handwriting from his grimy spiral notepad. "We noted the following anomalies:

"The stargate itself bore a thin layer of soot, the stargate pad appeared charred but otherwise undamaged, there was no appreciable cratering. The soil surrounding the stargate pad appeared vitrified. We collected samples for study. The small shrubbery and grass surrounding the gate reported by SG-1's MALP was no longer present. Some burnt root systems survived, however. Approximately 150 meters from the stargate was a stand of trees. All leaves were either blown down or burned in place. Smaller trees were knocked flat up to at least 250 meters from the stargate. All trees showed heavy scorching on the sides facing the stargate. In a few cases we saw a shadowing effect where one tree shielded another from line of sight to the stargate. These trees did not show the same scorching as the others. We were unable to locate SG-1's MALP or any MALP-related wreckage."

He flipped to a new page, "Neither the MALP-mounted nor handheld radiation detectors indicated elevated levels. We collected soil samples for chromatographic analysis. We were unable to locate any local fauna to bring back for radiation exposure analysis. After completing our sweep, I ordered my team to dial home roughly one hour early and return to the SGC." He paused, "At approximately 1215 I ordered Corporal Jones to dial Earth. We immediately came under staff-weapon fire from the tree line. Additional Jaffa infantry appeared from behind the stargate and opened fire. This is supposition, but my guess is that these Jaffa were waiting for us to dial home; most likely in two or more cloaked transport shuttles. We must have just not stumbled into them during our sweep," he looked disappointed in himself.

"Just prior to completing the dialing sequence, a pair of death gliders appeared overhead and began strafing us. Additionally, I heard engine noise from a cloaked transport shuttle entering a hover over the stargate pad. Once the stargate connected, I sent the danger-close IDC signal and ordered my team through. Last thing I saw on the far side was the cloaked shuttle's transit rings deploying a squad of Jaffa a dozen or so meters from the stargate pad."

He closed his notepad in a surprisingly melodramatic gesture, "And the rest of the engagement happened here in the gate room."

General Hammond nodded thoughtfully. He wasn't one for dramatic speeches, and Harper wasn't the type who sought out praise, but it was a damn fine piece of soldiering extracting his team, "Well done getting everyone home Major."

"Yes, sir," he replied stiffly. "I just wish we could have avoided that mess in the gate room, sir."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. He knew Major Harper was not type of man to hold a grudge. He also knew Harper appreciated the risks involved with the SGC's mission and accepted them with the professionalism and pride he'd expect from any officer in the United States Marine Corps. But, that simple sentence carried anger with it; more emotion than he normally saw from the Marine. At the moment, Jack couldn't tell if it was directed at Commander Shepard or Liara, or if it was merely a visceral reaction to a very closely run thing. The SGC had nearly been lost, and that didn't give anyone in the entire mountain a warm fuzzy feeling. He resolved to keep an eye on the Major, perhaps head off any animosity that might be building against their latest guest.

"We'll discuss the engagement in the gate room in a moment," said the General, changing topics, "Major Carter, please deliver your report on the biotics field-experiment."

"Yes, sir," Carter responded. "I'm afraid I cannot give you the physics behind what happened, I'm still working on that with the rest of the engineering unit, but we have evaluated the results of using biotics on objects transiting stargates." She consulted her lab notebook, not quite as weathered as Major Harper's notepad but still well worn. "Commander Shepard has demonstrated that her biotic abilities cannot reach through to objects on the far end of a wormhole. It appears that the effect dissipates on the far side of an active wormhole, but mass effect field influenced objects can transit _through_ a wormhole.

"In its simplest form, she can reduce the mass of an object and send it from the originating gate to its destination. Possible applications would be moving heavy objects without the benefit of cargo rovers or large groups of people on the originating side. We've already got some of this planned.

"The more _interesting_ application is sending objects _the wrong way_ through the stargate. Based on telemetry from our MALP during the experiment we conducted on our way to Mars, the objects cannot properly re-materialize on the originating end. The flash of gamma radiation detected before the MALP went offline indicates that some form of matter-energy conversion is taking place. But the survey conducted by SG-5 suggests it's not that simple."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Jack smiled. Carter was entering a full-on geek-out. The great Doctor Major Samantha Carter, PhD had latched onto a challenging intellectual mystery, and wouldn't let it go until it was solved.

"How is that Major?" asked Hammond.

"Well, sir, based on the observations reported by SG-5, and the MALP telemetry available, the ordinance unit estimates an event on the order of 10 gigajoules." The assembled group obviously had no visceral grasp as to how much energy that was. From the look on Jack's face, he might not even know what a Joule was. "Their guess is that it comes out to be about 10 to 20 _tons_ of TNT. Roughly equivalent to the M-28 Davy Crockett nuclear bazooka developed in the 1950's."

Jack let out a long whistle.

"Talk about 'four fingers of death'," quipped Daniel Jackson, alluding to the contents of the MRE's Shepard annihilated.

The room grew very quiet. The SGC had, more than once, deployed nuclear weapons, but this was the first time an individual had unleashed that much destruction with a simple flick of her wrist.

Cater broke the silence, "I had ordinance double check their assessment. They consulted data from the 'Little Feller' nuclear tests in 1962, and they're quite confident in their report on the blast damage." Carter paused for a moment, "The implications are, _troubling_."

"You kidding? This could be _very_ useful," opined O'Neill.

"Begging your pardon, sir," Carter responded, "I meant the math carries troubling implications." Jack looked at her anticipating a physics lecture soon to come sailing over his head.

She'd obviously piqued the General's curiosity, however, "Please continue Major."

"Yes, sir. Well, general relativity tells us that there is a mass-energy equivalence which can be described…" she trailed off realizing Jack's eyes were beginning to glaze over. "E = mc^2, sir." That seemed to register with him. "The math doesn't work out. Suppose the 10 kilograms of MRE's Shepard sent through the stargate were converted to energy upon arrival. Einstein says that equates to roughly 9*10^_17_ Joules. That works out to an energy release in the ballpark of 900 _mega_tons! That's seven zeros missing."

"That's a lot of zeros," quipped Jack.

Carter scowled. "What's more, ordinance made the observation that the majority of the blast effect generated by a nuclear weapon is the result of rapid soft-x-ray heating of the atmosphere. MALP telemetry suggested an emission in the gamma ray band which is less efficient at heating air, so the estimated energy release might be an order of magnitude low. Still, that's a whole lot of energy _missing_."

Carter paused for breath, she was getting excited, "We know that matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only change form. So that energy must have gone somewhere. I think the ambush of SG-5 gives us an indication of where it might have gone."

"How so, Major?" Harper spoke up unexpectedly. Jack observed his facial expression and posture; he obviously wanted to know how this near-disaster had befallen his men, he wanted payback.

Carter nodded to Harper, then she looked to General Hammond, "Sir, on a hunch I asked Daniel to take a look at the markings on the Jaffa we killed in the gate room."

"According to the database we've put together along with intel from the tok'ra," Daniel spoke up, leaned towards the table, and pushed his glasses up his nose, "these were Jaffa in the service of the goa'uld Ba'al. He's one of the more tech-savvy goa'uld System Lords."

"My theory, sir," Carter spoke again, "is that the _left over_ energy from the MRE's was distributed across the gate network, dissipating across all of the stargates in our galaxy. Perhaps it was by chance, perhaps from some sort of gate network safety protocol. Either way, Ba'al probably detected this energy spike, and came to investigate." She paused, "Think of it as plucking a string on a spider's web. Once he arrived at P3Y-88499 he must have found something of enough interest to set a trap and wait. SG-5 couldn't find our MALP, he might have grabbed it." The group shared worried glances.

"This would also explain how Ba'al, or any goa'uld for that matter, would even know to go to P3Y-88499. You'll recall that that world's gate address does not appear on the Abydos cartouche. The fact that this was a _safe_ world in addition to being uninhabited was what prompted us to use it as a test site. It would seem that the explosion released enough energy to reveal the presence of this gate in the network itself."

"So now Ba'al is aware of a new world that was previously unknown to him, _and_ he knows that we were somehow responsible for that explosion?" Hammond asked.

"It would seem so," responded Carter.

"He certainly paid enough to confirm it was us who did it," noted Jack.

"A goa'uld would not give a second thought to sacrificing Jaffa if it achieved its goals," observed Teal'c grimly.

"Major Carter," Hammond said after a few moments of thought, "until or unless we can develop a way of preventing their detection, we will suspend all biotics experiments that might result in a similar explosion. Or do you believe that all mass effect interactions with the stargate are detectable?"

"Sir, we detected no anomalous gate activity with the lower energy experiments," she responded. "I believe if we avoid the _wrong-way_ explosion-type event we should be safe." Hammond nodded in agreement.

Colonel O'Neill sighed. "Looks like we might have just caught the attention of another goa'uld who has a _special_ reason to come after us," Jack commented. "He's going to want to get his hands on this technology."

The assembled group looked at each other in silence. They'd proven that the Reapers didn't exist, but they'd also just made a new enemy. _Shepard certainly knew how to make an impact on those around her._

* * *

"You failed your god," a deep resonating voice, "before you die describe your defeat. Perhaps we will forgive you, and you will not die shol'va." Lord Ba'al, goa'uld System Lord, looked down from his throne upon the dying Jaffa. Sickly waxen skin, sunken cheeks, bloodshot eyes, barely contained explosive diarrhea and bloody vomiting, the Jaffa's radiation poisoning was obviously fatal. The cellular damage was apparently severe enough that his symbiote could not save him; even if it hadn't suffered the same amount of damage itself.

"My Lord," the Jaffa said haltingly, "we lay in wait on the planet as you commanded. When the tau'ri arrived we maintained our concealment until they opened the chappa'ai to return home. Seconds before the portal opened, I ordered the attack. As the tau'ri retreated through the chappa'ai I deployed your Jaffa from my transport shuttle and they pursued our prey through the gate."

"And this is when you failed me?" Lord Ba'al stated it more as fact that query.

"No my Lord, the chappa'ai remained open for some time, longer than expected. I managed to get more than a dozen Jaffa and a heavy explosive device through the gate. Even more were going through when the disaster befell us." Ba'al leaned forward in his throne and cast a withering look. The dying Jaffa bowed his head even further. "There was a blinding flash of light. My shuttle's shields overloaded, our systems failed. Our pilot managed to keep from crashing but we only barely made it back to the ha'tak in orbit. The pilot succumbed to radiation sickness before he could return to your court." _How _fortunate_ for him_, Ba'al thought.

"Did you set the timer on the explosive?"

"Yes my Lord, I set it myself."

"Did the flash of light correspond to when the device should have detonated?"

"No my Lord, it was nearly a half minute too soon."

Ba'al looked at the Jaffa for a moment. Then he cast a gaze to his First Prime, standing stoically to the side of the dying Jaffa. "Take him away. Let him die in shame." A flick of the wrist and his First Prime ordered another pair of Jaffa to drag him from the throne room; he was too weak to walk. "Summon Nerus, and leave us." The Jaffa commander bowed deeply and exited as well. Ba'al could hear retching from the corridor.

A moment later Ba'al's fat underling waddled into the throne room and bowed, but not as deeply as he would prefer, before him. "Report Nerus," Ba'al commanded.

"There is no doubt, my lord," he said, "this was the _unknown event_ the chappa'ai system has been reporting."

"Then the tau'ri have developed a way to turn the gate itself into a weapon of destruction?" the goa'uld said more than asked.

"It would appear so, my Lord." Nerus seemed to be on the verge of saying more.

"Speak!" Lord Ba'al commanded. He was in no mood to brook his underling's nonsense.

"As my Lord Ba'al commands," Nerus said with a bow and a flourish. Ba'al scowled at him. "I was only wondering at the nature of this possible device. The flash of photons which destroyed your Jaffa and damaged their transport was of a similar intensity to the nuclear weapons we know the tau'ri to possess, but their character was incorrect. This event was more skewed towards the gamma-ray band rather than x-ray." He paused for breath. "Additionally, the method of delivery must be truly novel. They apparently struck at your forces through an inbound wormhole."

_That would be truly novel indeed,_ Ba'al thought. While he would never admit it to anyone he was deeply troubled by the events reported by his dying Jaffa. The lives and equipment lost were inconsequential; those could be replaced, one more easily than the other. What truly frightened him, however, was that the tau'ri had managed something he thought impossible. They had sent a device, or something equally destructive, _upstream_ through an incoming wormhole. The implications were distressing. Dared he use the stargates any more if such a disaster might be waiting for him to dial into? What if one of the other System Lords developed such technology? It would upset the entire strategic balance. _He must have it for himself._

"Is that all?" Ba'al asked, still lost in thought.

"No, my Lord," Nerus responded. "Seconds before the disaster, a low energy _unknown event_ was detected at that tau'ri gate. I do not know what that could be. Since there was no corresponding event at the dialing gate, this might be similar to the first event detected months ago. That occurred at the tau'ri gate without an originating gate as well."

Ba'al pondered that. "Very well, we will conduct surveillance anywhere we detect this activity. We will undoubtedly learn what the tau'ri have devised, and then relieve them of it," he said with much more confidence than he felt.

_What other choice did he have?_


	23. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22:**

Liara stretched as a broad smile crossed her face. She splayed her toes with a satisfying series of pops as her joints cavitated. Her toe nails were un-painted for the moment, but Shepard would take care of that soon enough. She loved _doing her nails_. Such a tender ritual; surprisingly feminine for Shepard, _if you ascribed to _traditional_ gender stereotypes_.

Her shoulder ached slightly, but the medi-gel had done its work. Both she and Shepard felt awful that her arrival had nearly gotten so many hurt. The _gestalt_ had no way of knowing what conditions would exist on the other side, hence the hardsuit. If it had, it wouldn't have put her into the middle of a fire fight. She was glad that they were able to help Corporal Jones. Shepard hoped that would diffuse any animosity towards her beloved.

Still, her shoulder wasn't the _only_ part of her body that was sore. She smiled at the thought. Shepard had almost not even wanted to make love; she was content to join with her in the bond. It was _emotional_ intimacy she craved. So much pain and loneliness, she needed her mate's love. _But that just wouldn't do._ Liara _needed_ the physical contact. She _needed_ to feel Shepard's skin on hers; she _needed_ to feel Shepard's face between her thighs as she ran her fingers through her fire-red hair. She tingled at the thought.

For _her_ it had been years since that last glorious night before the assault on Cerberus. Despite her prudish exterior, Liara reveled in her race's sensuality; and Shepard _never_ disappointed her. Liara bit her lower lip as she observed Shepard's prone nude form hungrily, _no, she needs to sleep. _

Besides, they both needed the distraction from the memories Liara had shared with her in the infirmary. Many things from the _other_ place disturbed Victoria. She feared that her _selfishness_ had doomed the galaxy to a terrifying _peace_ under the Reapers. She felt _guilty_. Guilty that she had risked so much, to come to a place she didn't belong, to live with a _copy_, to _be_ a copy herself. Guilty that there was another Liara out there, raising a daughter that she would never know. That had hurt Liara, but only for a moment. It was a strange situation, obviously, but they were together. That's what mattered. What was done was done. She had no regrets, and neither did the _other_ Liara, wherever she was. So, she sought to cement their bond. She smiled knowing she had succeeded. _She'll come around._

Part of her worried that she might be manipulating Shepard to some extent. Her Shadow Broker persona would approve of using physical and emotional intimacy to make someone pliable to her will; to make it easier for her to accept the current state of things, however insane they might be to an outside observer. She shook her head. She didn't want to sully this. If she had acted to bind Shepard to her, then it worked both ways. She was Shepard's as much as Shepard was hers. Two individuals, yet one mind and one flesh in the bond. _I have you back Victoria_, she smiled to herself. _I will embrace the time we have together. Goddess willing, that will be a long time yet indeed._

She quietly sat up in their bed. Shepard, prone and out-cold, didn't move a muscle as she stood and quietly padded towards a simple wooden dresser. She dressed in some military clothing that Shepard laid out for her and walked towards the door. Placing her hand on the door knob she took a look back at Victoria. She lay sprawled on the bed, her pale bare back rising gently with her breath, her flame red hair an unruly mop half buried under a pillow. She smiled and opened the door.

* * *

Doctor Liara T'soni glided into the SGC mess hall. The Asari moved with a fluid grace despite the baggy fatigues she wore. All eyes in the dining room watched as she retrieved a tray and added some fruit slices to her plate. The Security Forces _escort_ took up position at the door and tried to remain unobtrusive. General Hammond did not regard Liara as a prisoner, or a particularly serious security threat, _despite what Shepard had said about her profession in the _other_ place, _but he wanted someone to keep an eye on her until she could be fully debriefed.

Jack looked at his watch, "Jeeze, _18_ hours?" he looked down at his plate and shook his head as he pushed some ketchup around with the chewed nub of a French fry.

"Seriously," replied Daniel, "that endurance is inhuman."

"As you are no doubt aware Daniel Jackson," chimed in Teal'c as he plucked another grape from the vine on his plate, "Doctor Liara T'soni is not human." He placed the grape in his mouth and chewed as he regarded SG-1 with an even expression.

"Oh," Daniel said making a wide-eyed expression, "I've noticed."

Carter grimaced.

"Even for a Jaffa, Teal'c? 18 _hours_!"

Teal'c merely arched an eyebrow in response, not even his signature _indeed_. Jack and Daniel's faces went slack in surprise. They shared a look.

Samantha placed her palm to her face. She seemed to be one of the few people on base to have met Liara and not taken more than an intellectual interest in her. Surely she was a curiosity, _an alien who actually looks alien_, and undeniably _pretty_, but she would have to reserve judgment until she had an opportunity to get to know the Asari. She didn't really know much about her beyond what Shepard had said, _and there's an obvious potential for bias in her opinion_.

"I'm sure you're mostly interested in comparing notes with another archeologist. Isn't that right Daniel?" she said with a lopsided grin. Still, Sam wasn't above a little teasing.

"Oh yes, my interest is purely academic."

"That's probably a good thing," quipped Jack, "Shepard strikes me as the jealous type."

Jack closed his mouth as Liara approached their table, "May I sit with you Colonel O'Neill?" she asked pleasantly as she looked at the other members of SG-1. "Major Carter, Doctor Jackson, Teal'c, a pleasure to see you."

"By all means," O'Neill motioned for her to sit. Liara gently placed her tray on the table and took her seat.

Liara's plate consisted of fruit, a bowl of string beans, and a cup of apple juice. Carter had to satisfy her curiosity. "Doctor T'soni," she asked tentatively, "what do Asari eat?"

Liara smiled pleasantly, "We are levo-amino like humans, so our dietary requirements are similar. I can digest almost all human foods without incident. Spicy foods upset my stomach, though. Please, call me Liara." Liara noticed Carter's blue Jell-O. She narrowed her brow; it was the same shade as her skin.

"Do you eat meat?" asked Daniel, "You don't seem to have taken any."

"Well, it _is_ meatloaf day, Daniel," quipped O'Neill.

"We are omnivorous, as you are." She precisely spread her napkin on her lap and began dissecting a slice of cantaloupe. "Many Asari choose to be vegetarian. I seldom eat meat, especially red-meat. Though, I am partial to your smoked salmon." She smiled and took a bite of fruit.

"Why no red meat?" asked Carter.

Liara placed her fork and knife on the table and finished chewing. She swallowed. "Shepard finds it upsetting, as do I." She paused in reflection, "The last several years have been particularly," she thought for a moment looking for the right word, "_graphic_, Major Carter."

"I noticed that," O'Neill said. He looked at Liara, "Shepard seemed to avoid looking at the barbeque at Doc Fraiser's place." He noticed Liara subconsciously reach to her right elbow with her left hand. She stroked the area where Shepard had been cut by those _doctors._

"Barbeque? I am not familiar with that word."

"It's a type of outdoor grill that's ubiquitous in our culture, predominantly used for cooking meat products at social gatherings" Daniel piped up, providing more detail than anyone expected. "Your English is very good, Liara, where did you learn it?"

"From Shepard," she said. "My translator implants are excellent, but Shepard and the _Normandy_ crew used a lot of slang. I learned as quickly as I could. Though I never really understood all of the colloquialisms that they used, Joker especially."

"Yeah, there are some things that just don't translate into Asari," Commander Shepard seemingly appeared from nowhere with a mischievous smile on her face. "Do you agree, beloved?" she favored her with a peck on the cheek as she sat down next to her.

_Beloved?_ The phrase surprised Carter somewhat. Unlike a few people on the base who didn't approve of the Commander's relationship with the Asari, and despite the flirting early on that made her uncomfortable, Carter never really thought Shepard's love for Liara was anything other than heartfelt and _natural_. In fact, she rather thought _that_ particular regulation was a throwback to a less enlightened time. Still, the tender phrase, _beloved_, coming from such a hardened woman as Shepard, seemed out of place. Also, Carter wasn't one for public displays of affection, _but that was just her_.

Carter noticed Jackson shudder for a moment. Then it struck her; the goa'uld Hathor had called Jackson "our beloved". _That must be bringing up a whole slew of memories he'd rather forget_, she thought. Samantha shook her head.

Shepard didn't notice Daniel's discomfort. She interlocked fingers with her wife and smiled. Across the room an airman, whose name Carter couldn't recall, stood and stomped away with a disgusted look on his face. That upset Sam. Whatever his personal hang-ups were, she didn't appreciate the lack of respect he was showing for a superior officer.

Liara had taken note and looked at Major Carter, "What was that about?"

Carter opened her mouth to speak when Shepard beat her to it, "In this time period, it's still acceptable to cast judgment on others based on the gender of the people they choose to bond with." Shepard squeezed Liara's hand. She looked at Carter, "Give it a few years and this whole thing will take a turn for the better. And the Air Force will be better for it." Jack raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"You realize," Liara said studiously, "I do not really _have_ a gender. It is a meaningless concept for my people." She winked. Shepard smiled warmly.

Carter looked pensive. She cast her gaze between Daniel and Jack, they both looked at Liara with similar smiles. Teal'c's expression was even, as it always was, but he seemed a bit more serene than usual. Sam looked at Liara and she returned her gaze evenly. "I am still not very good with human facial expressions, Major Carter, but I think you want to ask me something."

"You seem to have everyone overly _fascinated_ with you. Is it pheromones? Hypnosis?" Shepard started chuckling, "What?" asked the Major.

"Everyone loves the Asari," Shepard said with a grin, "_everyone_."

"I think it's a legitimate question," Carter said defensively, "We had a problem with a goa'uld drugging all of the men in the SGC. We nearly lost the base."

Jack and Daniel squirmed a little bit. "Can we not talk about that?" asked Daniel. "I'm really trying my best to forget all that ever happened."

"Hear hear," echoed Jack.

Liara looked somewhat self-conscious, "I am not doing it on purpose. I may be producing _some_ pheromones which humans are sensitive to, but I am not attempting to _take over_ _your base_." Shepard laughed harder, Liara blushed.

* * *

Jack couldn't help but smile. Of course, Liara _might_ actually be deceiving them. From Shepard's descriptions, the Shadow Broker was a terrifying force to be reckoned with. Perhaps this Asari _was_ a master manipulator, giving them an utterly convincing show of flustered innocence. Or maybe she was just truly too clueless to be playing them. He sincerely hoped it was the latter; his experience with Hathor had been singularly unpleasant.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Jack looked up to see a Security Forces officer standing at the end of their table.

"What is it Lieutenant?" he asked evenly.

"Sir, I've been instructed to escort Doctor T'soni to the conference room. General Hammond would like a word before her debriefings start. Major Davis is ready to begin with the initial interviews."

Jack looked at Liara. She seemed resolved to the process. Then he looked at Shepard. She wore a cool expression; she was obviously going to _escort_ her escort. Jack sighed internally. He hoped that whoever would be doing the _debriefings_ had the sense enough to not give Shepard any excuse to turn him inside out. He had no doubt in his mind, _none whatsoever_, that Shepard would react with an uncontrollable level of violence if any one made an attempt on her wife's safety.

If there was any _good_ thing he could say about Shepard's abduction, it was that General Hammond had decided to circle his wagons. He would not allow the NID to run amok on the base, and having something to hold over the good Senator gave the General some clout in that regard. Not that anyone was willing to play that hand, _yet_.

Shepard squeezed Liara's hand and winked. Liara smiled in response. "Oh, word to the wise," said O'Neill, "Don't make fun of Davis' mustache; he's very proud of it." Carter snickered, Liara looked confused.

* * *

"It's good to see you feeling better, Doctor T'soni," General Hammond said as the Asari, and Shepard, entered the conference room. He came around the conference table to take her hand in both of his and shake it warmly; an open display of Texan charm. Despite himself, General Hammond found Liara alluring, just as most of the rest of the SGC personnel did. Then he shuddered internally at his memories of Hathor and what she'd nearly accomplished. Any latent attraction aside, he was genuinely glad to see her up on her feet and not wincing from a burned shoulder. Her recovery was nearly as rapid as Corporal Jones'. Though, while obviously not nearly as severe as Jones' injuries, a staff weapon blast like that should have had the Asari in a burn ward for at least several days. _We really need to get our hands on more of that medi-gel_, he thought to himself, echoing no less than three separate communiques from NID on the same subject.

Regardless, Liara wasn't the only person looking better. Shepard was absolutely glowing. _No wonder too, 18 _hours_?_ Hammond smirked to himself, remembering his own youth. Despite wanting to debrief Liara immediately, Hammond just couldn't bring himself to keep Shepard from her long lost love for a minute longer. He'd even had the Security Forces shut off the surveillance cameras in the guest quarters for the day. NID hadn't really liked that. They wanted to observe human-Asari _joining_. But, fortunately for Shepard and Liara, Hammond didn't consider himself a pornographer. He was just happy that the concrete walls and heavy steel door kept most of the sound down. From what the sentry in the corridor _did_ hear through the door, though, it sounded like they were getting reacquainted rather vigorously.

"Thank you, General Hammond," she replied. "Your Doctor Fraiser is very talented," she said graciously. "And, again, I am very glad we could help Corporal Jones. I hope he will make a full recovery."

"Doctor Fraiser assures me that he will. Would you please sit? We'd like to start debriefing you, but I wanted an opportunity to speak with you in a more casual setting." She smiled, then turned to look at Shepard. "Commander Shepard can join us if she wishes, but I believe that she is expected in the gate room in a few minutes, and then has a briefing scheduled with some of our officers."

"Of course," Liara nodded, turned to Shepard with a smile and squeezed her hand. After holding it for a moment she released her grip and took a seat at the conference table.

Somewhat to Hammond's surprise, Shepard braced to attention, "By you leave, sir." She spun on her heels and exited the conference room. _Sometimes I just don't understand that woman_, the General thought.

* * *

Liara squeezed Shepard's hand and formed a shallow bond; just enough to share thoughts, her eyes didn't even turn black.

_Hammond is a good man_, Shepard _said._

_I get that sense,_ Liara replied.

_I trust him and SG-1, but I do not trust their superiors and this NID outfit._ Shepard accidentally flashed an image of her would-be dissection. Liara's stomach lurched with rage that someone had tried to harm her beloved. _Sorry my love, I tried to suppress memory for you._

_I know,_ she replied with a feeling of forgiveness. _I will exercise caution._

_Thank you. I won't let anything happen to you, not ever._ Shepard sent that message along with a warm glowing feeling of love; pure, absolute, and heartfelt.

Liara basked in Shepard's joy. _I shall devise an insurance policy. We will _discuss_ this further, later,_ Liara replied. She broke the bond, her Shadow Broker persona already weighing options. She took her seat, less than three seconds had passed. Shepard made a flawless military exit, and she was alone with the General.

Liara regarded the officer. Hammond was intelligent, principled, proud, and he enjoyed the respect of those under his command. Liara could tell all of this from just his carriage and how his subordinates acted around him; seeing Shepard's thoughts had merely been a confirmation. The Asari, as a race, were not empathic, at least not outside of the joining; but, she could sense a _friction_ behind his eyes. Hammond's duty-bound loyalty to his superiors gnashed against his loyalty to those under his command; which, if Liara wasn't mistaken, included Shepard and, now, her. Barring any action she or her beloved took themselves, their continued safety rested with this man. _Time to make allies_, the Shadow Broker thought.

"I imagine you want to ask me number of questions, General?" she asked pleasantly.

"Yes, Doctor. We've set up quite a few interviews over the next couple of weeks to record your experiences, knowledge, and insights on a variety of topics." He smiled evenly, "You're the first Asari anyone has ever encountered, and there are a lot of curious people who'd like to meet you."

"I can appreciate that, General," Liara replied. "Though, I get the sense you wanted to say something else before the debriefings started?" Liara had conducted her fair share of interrogations in her tenure as Shadow Broker; she tended not to precede them with idle chit-chat.

General Hammond shifted in his chair. "Doctor, has Commander Shepard mentioned to you what happened to her a few days ago?"

"Yes, General," Liara replied. "Everything Shepard knows I know if she chooses to share it with me in the bond." That was a half-truth. While profoundly strong-willed, Shepard did not yet have the training to shield her thoughts in the joining. A skilled Asari could take them, even if uninvited. This had never been an issue for her and her mate, though, Shepard had never made an attempt to deceive her or hide something from her. In the bond, she was an open book to Liara; Victoria offered herself to her love in her totality. Luckily for her and the Alliance, Liara was absolutely trustworthy.

"I see," Hammond said, obviously mulling that over.

"You are pondering the security implications of that fact, yes General?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"Indeed Doctor T'soni, it's food for thought."

"You should know General that I would never betray the trust you place in Shepard. Or the trust Shepard places in me. Victoria is dedicated to the defense of Earth, as am I. I am probably the only Asari in this universe," she said sadly, "Earth is now my home as much as it is Shepard's. We would never do anything to jeopardize it."

"There will be some who will not take you at your word, Doctor," Hammond said with a sigh. Liara could see the dissatisfaction Hammond had with at least some of those appointed above him. The Shadow Broker filed that away.

"I believe the human expression is, 'we will cross that bridge when we come to it'?"

Hammond smiled, "Yes, Doctor T'soni. I suppose we should get started. However, I don't think anyone has said this yet, but," he paused, "welcome to Earth."

Liara smiled in return.

* * *

Commander Shepard strode into the gate room to find it nearly back to normal. The scorch marks on the walls left by staff weapons had all been painted over and the Jaffa blood, grey matter, and entrails had been cleaned away. The Security Forces personnel nodded politely from their positions behind their recently cleaned, serviced, and reloaded M2 machine guns. It was business as usual. _Things look a damn sight better than yesterday_, Shepard thought.

The area ahead of the embarkation ramp was stacked with large metal-reinforced plastic boxes, each serial numbered and bar coded. Shepard would be using her biotic lifting capability to push them through the gate to some offworld base; it sounded like they were going to have her doing this for a few separate bases over the next few days too. It was all very hush-hush; she imagined she'd get details on it later if she needed them. _A little _manual labor_ was the least she could do for them_, Shepard thought, _they'd certainly been very understanding about the circumstances surrounding Liara's _arrival.

Master Sergeant Siler appeared from around one of the crates wearing a blue hard hat. He held a barcode scanner in his hand and was finishing his check that all of the cargo was ready to go. He walked up to Victoria, "Mornin' ma'am," he said.

Shepard looked at her watch, "It's the middle of the afternoon."

"Sorry ma'am, I must have lost track. Time flies when you're having fun," he said with a smirk. Shepard could have sworn she heard one of the SF troopers snicker from behind his machine gun mount.

Victoria arched an eyebrow. She knew when she was being messed with; senior non-coms especially liked to rib officers whenever they thought they could do so politely. Fortunately, they could usually take as good as they gave. "Missed you the other day Siler," Shepard said amicably. "Huge lightning show from the gate, like something from a techno dance club, I hear you're a big fan." She paused for a moment, "Of lightning, I mean; not the techno." She winked.

Siler smiled, _touché Commander._ "We're all ready for you, ma'am."

Shepard cracked her knuckles and formed small biotic spheres in the palms of her hands. It felt _good_ to flex her biotics; especially since they'd decided to let her keep her amp. The glowing orbs disappeared and she nodded, "Dial her up Master Sergeant."

* * *

"My Lord, the mysterious energy has been detected. Once again it appears at a chappa'ai that was unknown to us," Ba'al's First Prime reported.

Lord Ba'al looked at the holographic display of this corner of the galaxy. The tau'ri were at it again it seemed, and they had given him the location of another _new_ world. "Jaffa, kree!" he commanded, "Dispatch one of the alert shuttles. Have them report once they have begun their surveillance."

He leaned back in his throne and waited.


	24. Chapter 23

**Author's Note:**

Welcome back. Sorry that I've throttled back to posting every 3-4 weeks, but life has gotten a bit crazy. Thanks for understanding. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 23**:

Shepard looked at the technical manual and scowled; _amateurs_. The progress these people had made in so few years was astounding, that wasn't lost on her. In fact, it was possibly even faster than when _her_ people had discovered the Martian Archives. Plus the level of innovation of astounding. The peoples of her _place_ were merely using mass effect technology as they had discovered it; just as the Reapers had planned.

But, the way they were going about it seemed a bit haphazard and _handicapped_.

When humanity found the Martian Archives and formed the Alliance they had thrown themselves bodily into developing a deep-space defense capability. Fleets were constructed, Arcturus Station built. They didn't even know what was out there, save that _someone_ had built the relays, yet they armed themselves.

After the surprise capture of Shanxi and Admiral Drescher's crushing counter attack, it was the size of the Alliance Fleet and its preparedness that had caught the attention of the Citadel Council. They couldn't have defeated the Turians, no one could, but the Turian conquest of Earth could have been a pyrrhic victory. The Council wanted to avoid that, and so humanity was peacefully welcomed into the galactic community.

But the people of this _place_ had done no such thing, despite learning of the goa'uld threat at nearly the same time as discovering the true purpose of the stargates. Only a few governments toiled in secret to defend the Earth. Members of the United States government even actively tried to hinder the SGC's mission. Shepard was incensed. They needed to be on a war footing, not eking along in secret.

The one, when it worked properly, _Prometheus_ Class and the half dozen planned _Daedalus_ Class warships did not a fleet make. Despite the impressive specs provided by the Asgard, which might actually exceed Alliance technology in a few areas, these ships couldn't hope to contend with the known goa'uld military strength; and who knew what _else_ might be lurking out there. Having not developed effective tactics yet was icing on the cake. So this is where Shepard found herself; teaching a bunch of Air Force officers the intricacies of deep-space combat when she should have been knocking their politicians' skulls together to get Earth's industry up and running on building more ships.

_And who puts an _Air Force_ in charge of a starship?_ Victoria shook her head at that one. The Alliance had one military branch, the Navy. Of course infantry like her were called, by tradition, Marines, but it was a unified command structure with no inter-service budget fights. Addressing those future ship-masters as _Captain_ when they all held the rank of Colonel confused them to no end. She'd have to work on that a bit more, she thought.

The door to her guest quarters opened and Liara appeared in the threshold. Silhouetted by the harsh florescent lighting in the corridor she looked downright angelic. _What did I ever do to deserve her? _Shepard wondered to herself. Victoria's heart fluttered, she immediately beamed a smile to her mate and closed the briefing documents.

Liara closed the door and returned her smile. "Tough day at the office?" she asked playfully. "That is the correct expression, yes?"

Shepard smirked as she pushed away from the desk on her rolling chair. She held out her arms and Liara glided to her beloved to sit gently on her lap. "I was going to ask the same of you. I remember those debriefings being very frustrating. You've been at it all day. You sure you don't want to crack some heads together? Remember what your _dad_ said, if you get the urge to head-butt someone, it's probably genetic."

Liara favored Shepard with a kiss on her forehead, Shepard's smile widened. "It was not that bad. Major Davis is very nice, and I complimented him on his mustache." Liara paused, "I think he knows what you might do to him if he gives me a hard time, and is taking it easy on me."

"I _might_ have used the scary voice," Shepard smiled impishly.

Liara stood abruptly, pivoted, and straddled Shepard's lap. "Play nice, beloved," she said, "If anyone is going to give me a _hard_ time, it better be you." She ground herself into Shepard for a few moments.

Shepard literally purred with delight and she tightened her embrace. She placed her face between Liara's breasts held her. She just held her, basking in the comfort of her touch. _This is real,_ she thought, _this is _really_ real._ She could hear Liara's heartbeat, she could smell her scent, she could feel the rise and fall of her chest with each breath. _We're actually here, together. Things worked out, how can I be so lucky?_ She wanted to cry with joy. _We'll have our happily ever after._ For a few moments Victoria could forget that they were both shadows, _copies_, of the women they once were.

Liara sensed a change in Shepard's demeanor. "What is it love?"

Part of Shepard didn't want Liara to see her cry. Objectively, she knew that Liara would know her feelings the moment they joined, but somehow maintaining a strong façade was important to her. _Change of subject._ "I was just wondering."

"Yes?"

"Have your breasts gotten larger since I last saw you? I think they're certainly bigger than when we met on Therum." She looked up at Liara with a wolfish grin and then drove her face back into her soft cleavage.

Liara let out a surprisingly girlish giggle. "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice," she said. "I have started my metamorphosis into the Matron stage."

Taking another deep breath she inhaled Liara's scent. Conversations about cross-species pheromones aside, Liara smelled distinctly of woman, _her_ woman, and she _wanted_ her; _badly_. Before Liara could respond, Shepard tightened her grip about her waist and carried her to their bed. Victoria placed her mate gently upon the covers and Liara looped her legs around her pulling her down along with her. Wrapping her arms around Liara, Shepard embraced her tightly and kissed her. Liara responded aggressively, she reached up grabbed the back of Shepard's head and pressed her lips tightly to hers. A tongue darted into her mouth. Liara bit her lip. Liara sucked gently on her tongue. Shepard's nethers quivered.

_Running out of air._ Victoria broke away and pulled in a ragged breath, "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"Yes, my love," Liara beamed a smile at her and ran her fingers through Shepard's hair. "The change is not strictly necessary, but I want a family, I am ready for a family. I want _our_ family. I want all of those little blue children you promised me; as many as possible." Liara rolled atop Victoria, grasped her by her collar, and pulled Shepard to her lips.

Shepard tingled. Liara's aggressiveness was an immense turn on, but that paled in comparison to the emotional intimacy she enjoyed. _I love you! I want you!_ Shepard was joy. Then, suddenly, there was something else. _Be happy Shepard_, she thought, frustrated, _just be _happy_ with this!_ But she couldn't, there was something wrong.

Liara could see it too, even without the bond. "What is wrong?"

"Join with me and I'll show you," she bobbed her eyebrows and glanced dramatically towards the ceiling mounted security camera.

Liara placed her hands on Shepard's face gently caressing her cheek, kissed her tenderly on the lips, and said, "Embrace eternity." Her eyes flashed to an inky black.

* * *

Liara felt Shepard enter her. Shepard's love filled her with a glorious warmth. But she could also feel fear, and _pain_.

_What is wrong Shepard?_

_I want children,_ Shepard responded.

_Then what is the problem? So do I. _

_I don't think it's safe, I don't trust these people. _

_I…_ Liara paused as she tried to give voice to her thoughts, _I agree. There are those here who would use our children to exploit us. You saw what they were willing to do to get the eezo and tech out of your body. _I_ would be even more important a prize. _Shepard spared Liara another image of her near-vivisection. _Then there is the goa'uld._

_The goa'uld are pussies._ Liara sensed a flash of contempt from Shepard. These enemies were nearly beneath her, considering what she just went through.

_You have such a way with words._

_They are a threat, surely, but I worry more about the people of _this_ world. I think some consider _you_ more of a threat than the goa'uld._

_Why do you say that Shepard?_

Shepard showed her as much as told her. Liara saw an image of their children, their grandchildren, their _great_ grandchildren; scores of them, taking humans, Jaffa, even _tok'ra _and_ goa'uld_ as mates. Liara could see them influencing those around them. Surely they would be a voice of stability and peace as they were in the other _place_, but many would not see it as such. They would see an _invasion_, a subversion of human dominance.

_You will be the Athame of this world, mother of your own immortality; a goddess by no small stretch of the imagination. A new Asari race will spring forth from your womb and there are those who would fear that, or try to exploit it. _

_We need an insurance policy_, the Shadow Broker side of Liara said. _I have been giving that some thought._

_Ideas?_

_I will release a modified version of Glyph into their _inter_net. I have its software on my omni-tool, though not the drone hardware. I can rebuild my information network, gather resources, money, blackmail material. I will make it such that no one would _dare_ hurt us or our children. Failing that, we will have enough money to disappear, or possibly buy our way offworld._

_I knew you'd come up with something, beloved. Convenient, though, that you came through with a copy of Glyph on your omni-tool._

_Indeed, convenient._

Shepard flooded her perception with love and pride. Liara basked in it. Then she detected something else.

_That is not the only reason you are upset, is it love?_

_Tell me about our daughter._

Liara could feel anguish. Shepard obviously didn't like the idea of having a child she would never know. However many children they might have here, there would always be that hole in her heart.

_I cannot._

_Please don't hide this from me Liara, I want to know._

_It is not a matter of hiding anything; you know I would never withhold something like this from you. It is just that I have so few memories from after the war in the other _place_. _Liara could sense Shepard's confusion. _My old self and the gestalt decided to remove some of my memories before I came here. They wanted me to be able to make my own life _here_, unburdened by what happened after your sacrifice._

_I don't understand, did something bad happen? _

_No, love,_ Liara radiated comfort through the bond, _everything is fine. Our daughter is happy and healthy. My old self misses you, but is accepting of her life there. Little Victoria has a safe home, a warm bed, good food, and many friends despite the ongoing war recovery. Her Aunt Tali and Uncle Garrus visit regularly, as do her grand_fathers_. _

_Grand_fathers_? You mean Mother and Aethyta survived the war?_

_Yes, beloved. Hannah Shepard is retired, and the Matriarchs have welcomed Aethyta back to Thessia to help guide the reconstruction of our world. They visit us regularly, even if Hannah and Aethyta do not always get along. _

Shepard chuckled within the bond, _I can see that. They're both very opinionated, and my mom is _just_ straight laced enough to be at odds with your dad._

_Samantha Traynor visits regularly as well._

_Why is she there?_

_Oh, she is dating my _father_._

Shepard burst into laughter, at least as much as you could in the bond. _Ahh, way to go Samantha! I think she traded up from when she tried to seduce me in my shower._ Liara was surprised at that last comment, but got a laugh when Shepard shared the memory with her.

_Do not sell yourself short, beloved. At least you let her down easy, losing to her at chess._ There was a pause. _I know this situation is troubling for you, as it is for me. They left me with just enough memories to ensure us that everything _there_ is ok. They want us to make a life for ourselves _here_. I can tell you that the Geth and Quarians are resettling Rannoch; Tali does not even need her suit on the homeworld. Ash and Vega are still with the Alliance on Earth, helping Hackett rebuild. The Krogan have begun to experience their renaissance. There is still much to do, but there is hope. I am afraid I cannot tell you much beyond that. _

_Will you give me some time to process this? Are you ok holding off on starting a family?_

_Of course my love. Take as much time as you need. In the meantime, _she reached out with her hand in the physical world and looped it around Shepard's belt buckle, _it has been three years since that night before we assaulted the Cerberus Base. I have a lot of lost time to make up for._

She could feel Shepard's arousal through the bond. Then she felt Shepard knock the security camera out of position with a small twitch of her biotics. _Now that we've got privacy, I think I owe you several years' worth of _catching up_._

The Security Forces sentry in the hall tried to ignore the sounds coming through the door.

* * *

"I don't know what to make of it, Svetlana," Carter said, "It's been months, and it still has us completely stumped." Samantha looked at her Russian counterpart's face on the secure video conferencing unit. Sharing the stargate program with the Russians had caused no small amount of friction amongst most of the SGC personnel, and it caused near constant conniptions for the political leadership, but Carter had never experienced any such problems. Doctor Svetlana Markov was just as brilliant, and amicable, as Carter, and they both enjoyed a warm working friendship.

"I'm afraid I don't have better news in that regard, Samantha," Markov replied, "We've been reviewing the data you provided us, and we haven't generated any new insights either." She smiled, "And you know our physicists have always been better than yours," she winked. Carter scowled and Svetlana chuckled. It was a friendly barb, but a barb nonetheless. Russia, and Eastern Europe in general, had historically generated brilliant physicists and mathematicians. A stereotype to be sure, Carter thought, but a flattering one. Doctor Markov wasn't shy about rubbing it in; she knew how much pride Carter took in her own intellect. Of course she would never tell her to her face, but Doctor Markov regarded Samantha Carter as one of the most gifted physicists in the world; better even than her own countrymen. That's what made it so funny.

Markov's tone changed, "I've been instructed to ask; is there any chance we might get a sample of the element? Perhaps a physical examination would yield…"

Carter cut her off, "I'm afraid that's impossible." She smiled and shrugged in apology for the interruption; Markov accepted it with a cocked eyebrow. "Doctor Lee just figured out how to replicate the 'thermal clips' for her weapons, so we've been instructed to keep them intact for continued use." Carter's face screwed up into a scowl in introspection. "As to getting eezo samples for Shepard or Liara's bodies…" she tailed off trying to choose her words carefully. "All of the eezo nodules are attached to nerves. It'd just be too invasive to remove some for study; even if they consented. That's not something we're willing to force on them."

All of the SGC personnel who knew about Shepard's abduction had been forbidden to discuss it with their allied counterparts by order of the President himself. While technically a treaty violation, the President and General Hammond did not want to risk word getting back to Senator Kinsey as to the resolution of that episode. So far as he knew, Shepard had managed to escape, but only after the NID operatives had successfully destroyed any evidence linking the operation to him. All Kinsey had learned about Shepard from the abduction was from the coroner's reports on the men she'd killed. Rumor had it he was a bit frightened by how brutally she'd affected her escape.

Doctor Markov nodded. "Of course, Samantha, we will make do with what we have available." Carter was certain that there were those within the Russian's stargate organization who would not hesitate to attempt what Kinsey had done, thankfully Svetlana was as honorable as Carter. "In the meantime, I have a list of non-invasive medical exams we'd like Doctor T'soni to submit to. Could you ask her…"

* * *

"I'm sorry we're late Major, we…" Commander Shepard said as she and Liara entered Carter's lab. Victoria stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Markov's face on the video screen, her arm fell away from Liar's waist.

Liara's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. "Mother?" _Oh Goddess, what is this?_

Carter and Markov exchanged looks, at least as well as two people could in a video conference. "What's going on?" Carter asked, confused.

Liara couldn't respond. She was looking into the face of a dead woman. She glanced at Shepard; she was having a similarly difficult time of it. "Uh…" Liara couldn't get the words past her lips. She knew who this woman was. She was Doctor Svetlana Markov, a scientist associated with Russia's stargate program. Carter spoke very highly of her. She and Shepard were late for an interview right now after the _private time_ they had just shared in their quarters.

Shepard managed to recompose herself more quickly than Liara. Perhaps it was her N7 training, or maybe it was because she had only met Benezia once instead of living with her for nearly a century, but she managed to croak out, "A pleasure Doctor. I'm sorry, but you bear a striking resemblance to Liara's late mother."

Liara still couldn't speak. She watched Shepard activate her omni-tool and project an image of the Matriarch Benezia for the two doctors. They looked at each other. "I'm sorry, I don't really see the likeness," the Russian woman said. Carter shook her head as well.

Liara swallowed hard, "I am sorry. It is just, startling." Svetlana smiled. _I had not seen Mother smile like that since I was a child._ She felt a squeeze of her hand. Shepard looked at her, she smiled gently. Liara thought about forming the bond, even if just for a moment, to ask Victoria for her support. But, she didn't need to; it was plain on her face.

* * *

Shepard looked at her beloved. _She needs me,_ Victoria thought. She didn't care what Carter and this Russian woman said. That was the Matriarch Benezia's face, and it was upsetting Liara terribly. _And me!_ Killing the Matriarch on Noveria had been a personal low point for her. She knew that Benezia wasn't herself. She knew that indoctrination was at work. She _knew_ Benezia was fighting it; she succeeded just long enough to make her goodbyes with her daughter, _and_ give them the intel they needed to pursue Saren.

Shepard loved Liara, even back then; _love at first sight_ wasn't a cliché for them. The idea of hurting her was horrific. _I killed my beloved's mother!_ Shepard lamented to herself. She knew, through the bond, that it still haunted Liara. She was getting over it, for sure, but it was still an emotional hole in her heart. This, though, _this! Liara didn't need _this_!_ Shepard wanted to rage at this woman for no other reason than she had a familiar face. _What's wrong with me?_

Victoria shook her head. No, she would not be angry at this Russian woman. _It's not her fault she looks like Benezia. _She would not lose herself to despair. She _definitely_ wasn't going to let Liara fall back into the grief-fueled depression that followed her mother's death. _I didn't just get you back for you to be sad_, Shepard thought to herself.

Much to Svetlana's surprise, Shepard squeezed Liara's hand and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. "It's ok, beloved."


	25. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**:

"I'm sorry, Shepard. I just don't see the resemblance," Jack shook his head. Then he shoved another French fry into his mouth.

"Seriously?" Shepard powered down her omni-tool, "How can you not see it? The voice is even similar."

Daniel Jackson just shook his head.

Shepard grumbled. "Fine, whatever you say," she said exasperatedly.

"Whether or not we see a resemblance is immaterial, Colonel O'Neill," Teal'c observed to his teammates, "Svetlana Markov's appearance has awakened painful memories in Commander Shepard and Doctor T'soni." He paused and looked at Shepard, "Is there not something we can do to assuage Doctor T'soni's grief, Commander Shepard? Or your own?"

Shepard had come to really enjoy Teal'c's company. He didn't pull any punches, but nor did he act without compassion. Shepard treasured the little _chats_ he and she shared, even if she _did_ do most of the talking. "I'll talk with her after the interview is over." Shepard smiled, "She's way tougher than me, I don't know if I'd be able to sit down and chat with Doctor Markov after a startling introduction like that. And she's already on day two!"

"You know I don't mean this to be insulting," said Daniel. Shepard's senses immediately perked up. In her experience, phrases like 'I don't mean this to be insulting' usually were. "But, how do you two deal with the fact that you were the one who killed her mother?" Daniel raised his eyebrows, trying to intimate that he really did not mean to insult Shepard. "That's kinda a big deal."

Victoria sighed, "It's…" she trailed off trying to collect her thoughts. "It's complicated Daniel."

"What isn't?" observed Jack.

"We can share our feelings and thoughts in the bond. She knows it was necessary. She knows I didn't want to do it." She sighed, "She knows how often I lose sleep over it. She's seen the nightmares. She accepts my pain, and I accept hers. We are each other."

"Wow, that must really take the guess-work out of relationships," observed Daniel.

Shepard sat quietly with a pensive look on her face for a few moments, "Speaking of which, are there any good jewelry shops in Colorado Springs?"

"Nothing quite says, _sorry I killed your mom_, like a new necklace," quipped Jack. He immediately regretted the joke.

Shepard cast a withering glance, full-on _the killer_; and then softened her expression substantially. Jack meant well, of that Shepard was sure, he just had a wry sense of humor, _and poor timing_. "No, Colonel. I need to buy some rings."

Daniel's eyebrows jumped, "Now _that_ ought to take her mind off of it for a while."

Shepard doubted very much that simple trinkets could ever assuage the guilt they felt over the death of the Lady Benezia, _but life goes on_. "I never had an opportunity to give her any tangible item to express my love for her. I know she'd say none were necessary. As you observed, the bond really takes the guess work out of a relationship. But," she paused, "I don't know, I need there to be something physical. Does that make any sense?"

Jack nodded knowingly, "Yeah, I understand." He thought for a few moments, "I'm sure there are a few places in town. We can head over there if you like. I bet Liara will be tied up with Markov and the rest of the ruskies on the video-phone for several more hours."

Shepard made a decision immediately, "Change into civilian clothes and meet you in the armory in 20 minutes?"

"Woah! You're not going to rob the jewelry store, are you?" asked Daniel with no small amount of concern on his face.

"No, of course not, Daniel," Shepard replied with a wolfish grin. "But if you think I'm going out there again unarmed, you're crazy."

"You've got your amp and your omni-tool, Hammond said you can both keep them on you." he countered, "You could take out a small army with those."

"And then some," she replied with pride.

"I believe Commander Shepard wishes to be less conspicuous," Teal'c observed.

"Indeed, Tea'c," Shepard responded, "Plus, you've got that 2nd Amendment I want to take for a test drive." She winked at Daniel.

"Alright, see you in 20 minutes."

* * *

Jack O'Neill watched Shepard expertly slot a full magazine home and rack the slide on her FN Five-Seven pistol. Jack had always liked the FNs, accurate as all hell and it certainly simplified logistics having to only carry one type of ammunition through the gate. Shepard had proven herself absolutely deadly with them on the range too. _Even managed to win $50 off of the base armorer, and _he_ was an alternate for the US Olympic Pistol Team,_ he thought with a smile.

"You're really not going to hold up the place, right? I mean, how do you have any money?"

"The Navy is paying me at the grade of Commander," Shepard replied slipping the pistol into a discreet holster under her blouse at the small of her back. She pulled her field jacket down completing the concealment.

For this adventure outside of the mountain, Shepard had opted for a past-the-knee skirt, knee-high leather boots, and a conservative blouse. Gone was the ill-fitting sundress, which Liara had inherited. Jack still thought the field jacket was a bit of an odd touch, but he couldn't deny that Shepard _cleaned up well_. In fact, had she not been a subordinate, and had he not known her proclivity for _female_ aliens, he could totally see himself trying to pick her up at a coffee shop. He shook his head.

"And you're going to buy _jewelry_ with it? Is Navy pay _way_ better than the Air Force or something?" Jack pondered for a moment, "Liara strikes me as a high-class sorta woman. She deserves the best." He smirked.

"The very best," Shepard smiled in agreement. "I've been day trading."

"I see." _Sure you have,_ he thought. "And that's how you afford your clothes?"

"Indeed. Your amazon dot com is very convenient."

They finished signing out their weapons and made their way to the surface. Jack led Shepard to his pickup truck and they motored off base and towards town. He looked over to the Spectre as they drove; she watched the trees pass by with a smile on her face. "I didn't know you were such a nature buff," he paused as Shepard looked at him with a mildly confused expression on her face, "the way you look at those trees you'd think you were an arborist or something."

"It's just nice to see it so green, Colonel," she replied sadly. She sighed, "It almost doesn't even seem real to me." Jack could tell Shepard needed to vent. _Is she going to open up?_

"What part of it?"

"All of it." _Come on Victoria, I know you're hurting._

Jack scowled. A firm believer of _minding your own business_, Jack didn't want to pry; but Shepard was obviously hurting, and he wanted his command at peak condition. "Would it help to talk about it?"

"Probably." _Here we go._

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really." _Apparently not._

"Shepard," Jack said with no small amount of frustration.

Victoria snorted, "You're not going to let it go, are you?"

"Nope," Jack replied pulling up to a stop light.

"What do you want me to say, Colonel?" Shepard said shifting her weight on the leather seat. "That I'm still not used to the fact that I'm on Earth, in the past, in an alternate dimension? Or maybe that there are no screaming civilians covered in blood and dirt and their own filth?"

Shepard looked at him with anger in her eyes, "Perhaps I could talk about how I've been reunited with my love, but I can't quite be happy because this one is a copy and the original is out there somewhere with a kid I'll never know? Or that I'm a shadow of what I was? Or that whatever I became holds the other _place_ in a state of peaceful terror? Or that I want to start a family now, but I don't know if I'll have to worry about people trying to kidnap my babies and dissect them? Or my wife? Or both?"

Jack raised his eyebrow. A car behind them tapped it's horn and he looked up to see the light had changed. "Anything else?" he asked nonchalantly as he accelerated through the intersection.

"It's beautiful out," Shepard's tone changed suddenly from anger to sadness. "Last time I was on Earth it was all smoldering ash. I don't think I saw a single patch of green in the entire time I was in London." She paused and sighed, "I don't think they'll ever let Liara out of the mountain, she can't even see it."

The transition in topics was jarring, _Shepard's brain certainly switches gears quickly._ Then Jack nodded spotting their objective. He pulled his pickup into a parking spot across the street from a small jeweler's shop and shut off the engine. "I see," he wasn't sure he did, she just dropped a lot of serious shit on him, "there might be something we can do about that," he said with a wink. "But, first thing's first. We're here."

* * *

Shepard climbed out of the truck, thankful that O'Neill's prying had been blunted by their arrival. She took in her surroundings. A small quiet street, clean storefronts, smiling pedestrians, it all looked so _normal_. No thudding explosions in the distance. No screeching Sirens or that awful fog-horn sound the Reapers made. No casualty reports. No messages requesting volunteers to decoy Reaper forces away from civilians. No death. No destruction. Just peace. Her heart ached at the magnitude of it all, _peace, we finally have peace._ She just hoped that she and Liara would be allowed to enjoy it. She couldn't help but shake her head, _certainly an improvement over back home._ She caught herself, _this is home now Vikki, get used to it._

Returning to the present, she walked up to the small jewelry shop's door and placed her hand upon the brass handle. _This is home, and you're going to make a life here with your love, and you'll _kill_ anyone who gets in your way_, she smiled to herself and opened the door.

The door opened with a soft jingling of a bell and the proprietor greeted the two officers from behind a display cabinet, "Good morning," said the portly woman with a smile.

"Good morning," Shepard replied with more cheer than she actually felt. She chastised herself, _this is a cheerful occasion, lighten up!_

"Morning," Jack said, flatly. Shepard glanced back at the Colonel, he seemed subdued. Victoria recalled O'Neill divorced shortly after his son died. The circumstances of Jack's son's death weren't a secret, but he had never mentioned it to her. Shepard was disinclined to ask about it. _Jack's no stranger to pain, that's for sure,_ she thought to herself.

"What can I do for you?" asked the proprietor.

"I'm looking for a couple of wedding bands," replied Shepard with a smile that was rapidly becoming more genuine.

"Of course," the shopkeeper responded motioning to a display case, "Are you two engaged? Or are you looking for new rings?" she asked, her gaze alternating between them.

"Oh, not us," replied Shepard. He noticed O'Neill's eyebrow arch, "He's my bother-in-law. He's helping me pick something out; it's a bit of a surprise."

Shepard bristled at the idea that she had to keep her relationship with Liara a secret, and not just because she was an _alien_. Victoria wanted to shout her love from the rooftops she so adored her mate, but that just wouldn't do. Not here, and certainly not _now_. Of course, Shepard had no idea if this particular shopkeeper was a bigot or not. She might actually be a completely rational, understanding, accepting person; maybe she even favored the fairer sex herself. She just had no way of being sure, so she would play it safe. _Fucking dark ages,_ she thought. _Can't risk getting pissed at some racist and immolating half of the city, play it cool,_ she cautioned herself.

"Do you have a style in mind?" the shopkeeper asked.

"Subdued," Shepard replied, "Plain metal, no pattern, maybe a simple ridge on the edges or a bevel?"

"Classy," O'Neill observed. "I'm sure _he'll_ love it."

The proprietor extracted a small tray from the display case and gingerly placed it on the glass surface. "Here are a few patterns you may like," she said pleasantly.

Shepard looked at the selection and made a choice immediately. She went the _traditional_ route. No pattern, plain smooth metal, slightly rounded exterior, Victoria smiled warmly picturing what it would look like on Liara's finger. "I like this pattern."

"Excellent choice," the shopkeeper said smiling, Shepard was her easiest customer today by far. "Gold?"

"Iridium," Shepard replied without thinking. Jack winced. The shopkeeper looked confused.

"Isn't that what they make the nibs on fountain pens out of?" she asked, "I've never heard of an iridium ring."

Shepard remembered herself. "Oh, well. I guess I'll settle for platinum." Both Jack's and the shopkeeper's eyebrows jumped at that. _Settle?_ their expressions said.

"I see," said the shopkeeper, a bit surprised, "I can fit you for one right now, but unless your husband comes in for a fitting there's a risk the ring will need to be resized."

Shepard reached into her field jacked and produced a small sheet of paper, "Here's the size of," she paused, "_his_ current ring. This ought to work." Shepard's tone left no doubt, her 'husband' would _not_ be coming in for a fitting.

"You know," the shopkeeper said as she wrote up a purchase order, "we usually see the men coming in here purchasing rings as a surprise gift."

"We're not a _traditional_ family," Shepard responded a bit too shortly.

"I see," she replied, "Let me go ring this up for you."

As the shopkeeper walked towards the register Colonel O'Neill leaned over to Commander Shepard. "Ok, seriously, you're not going to rob this place, right? _Settling_ for platinum?"

Shepard smiled and placed a Platinum Card on the class countertop. "Day trading, remember?"


	26. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**:

"_Do svidaniya, Akademik Markova, do sleduyushchego raza_," Liara managed in broken, yet intelligible, Russian.

"_Vydayushchimisya, doktor T'Soni!_" Svetlana Markov replied, "That's excellent, you're a very quick study." She smiled at the Asari through the video conferencing unit.

"Thank you Doctor," Liara smiled, "but I think my translator implants should get most of the credit." Loading the Russian language onto them had proven trivial. _Glyph_ had already infiltrated Earth's primitive internet to a substantial degree, pirating translation software from some outfit called _Rosetta Stone_ happened on a whim.

It wasn't quite the 'Shadow Broker Network', but Liara had already secretly gained access to the computer systems of all of the 'Fortune 500' companies, all levels of the US government and military, the majority of the European Union and NATO networks, and an increasing fraction of the People's Republic of China's computer systems. Cracking into Russia's communications channels was trivial, as was penetrating Japanese corporate security. _Glyph_ hacked new networks daily; soon she would effectively be the Shadow Broker once more. She smiled at the thought.

With a few discreet commands on her omni-tool Liara could bring entire militaries to their knees, financial ruin to corporations, or utter chaos to governments. She had at her fingertips enough blackmail material to make any political/military/corporate official think long and hard if they really wanted to mess with her or her family, _which will hopefully grow very soon, _or anyone whom she decided she wanted to help or protect. She had acquired enough wealth to buy a small country on which to found an Asari colony if she chose; or at least for her, her beloved, and their descendants to live in financial security wherever they wished. She even set Shepard up with something the locals called a 'day trading' account to make some _legitimate_ money with her Navy pay. _And if the people at the FTC ever get it in their mind to investigate Shepard for _insider trading_ she had enough dirt on them to ruin a lot of lives, or at least marriages._

"I've monopolized enough of your time, Liara," Markov said, "Please give my regards to Commander Shepard. I hope we can chat again sometime in the near future."

"Of course, Doctor," Liara replied pleasantly. Samantha leaned in from off-camera and deactivated the video unit. Liara looked at the human woman and smiled, "Doctor Markov seems like a nice woman. Very smart, no wonder she likes you."

Carter's eyebrows jumped a bit at that comment. "Our stargate program and theirs do have a bit of a rivalry. Though, I'm glad that we've been able to maintain a cordial working relationship." Samantha continued, seemingly ignoring Liara's observation, "I'm glad that you could warm up to her as well. Still, that must have been awkward for you."

Liara sighed, "That, as Shepard would say, is a monumental understatement."

"Tell me about her?"

Liara sighed again. Adapt as she did to Markov's resemblance to her mother, Lady Benezia's death still weighed heavily upon her heart. Despite their estranged relationship towards the end of her life, Liara truly did love her mother. She was proud of her for having the strength of will to overcome Sovereign's indoctrination at the end, _we wouldn't have stopped Saren without her help_.

Liara remembered that night on the _Normandy_ after they left Noveria. She cried into Shepard's shoulder for what seemed like hours. Shepard cried too, she felt her pain, she accepted it unto herself. As if she needed any more confirmation, she knew she loved Shepard; consummating their relationship en route to Ilos merely cemented their bond. She wished Benezia had lived. She wanted her to know Shepard, to see the amazing woman who had won her heart, who would be the _father_ of her grandchildren. She wished Benezia could have met little Victoria, even if she didn't really remember much about her daughter from the other _place_.

"She was strong willed, and powerful. We did not get along when I was an adult, but I could always tell she loved me; in her own way. She was swept up in Sovereign's indoctrination while she tried to turn Saren away from the path of destruction."

Liara frowned, "Shepard met her once. She actually overcame indoctrination for a moment to give us the intelligence we needed to get to Ilos, she had _that_ strength of character." She paused, "Then we had to kill her," she said flatly. She closed her eyes. Liara was filled with a sudden need to hold Shepard in her arms. She needed the comfort of her presence.

* * *

Samantha saw the pain in Liara's face. Debriefing with Doctor Markov had been an ordeal for her; that much was obvious. But she stuck with it. As she pointed out, knowledge was power, and Earth needed whatever advantages it could get against the goa'uld; even if it was mostly discussing Asari biology. Still, while she didn't quite see the resemblance herself, Samantha didn't know if she would have been able to spend a few days talking with a doppelganger of _her_ dead mother. _The Lady Benezia apparently wasn't the only T'soni with a strong will_, she thought to herself.

Liara closed her eyes. Carter was certain Liara was reliving the death of her mother in her mind, right before her eyes. Sam's heart ached for her. A combat veteran herself, she often relived unpleasant experiences. But this was worse. _To have your own mother brainwashed by the enemy? To have no choice but to kill her? To have you future _wife_, the woman you _love_, be the one who does it?_ She didn't know if she could have dealt with that level of pain, _or stayed in love with Shepard_. Carter racked her brain for ideas on how she could help her.

Daniel Jackson entered her lab and interrupted her introspection. One glance at Liara's face and he had a fairly good idea what was happening. He smiled, "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

To Samantha's surprise Liara recomposed instantly. _Strength _definitely_ runs in the T'soni family._ "Of course not Doctor Jackson," Liara actually smiled, "We were just finishing a meeting with Doctor Markov.

Carter smiled herself. Liara was obviously very fond of Daniel. A fellow archeologist turned soldier, he was a kindred spirit. From what Carter had heard form Shepard, and gleaned from Shepard and Liara's debriefing materials, Liara was once a shy bookish, well, nerd. Just like Daniel. Meek and socially awkward, Liara preferred to spend her time alone at her dig sites. Just like Daniel. She held beliefs about an ancient culture that were widely derided by the academic community. Just like Daniel. Then, her life took a turn. Suddenly, her theories were vindicated and she found herself as part of the vanguard defending the galaxy from destruction. Also, just like Daniel.

"Oh good," he said with a smile. He clasped his hands together and looked at the two women, "I just got the go ahead from Hammond. How would you like to take a little trip to a dig site we've got set up offworld?"

Carter had never seen Liara smile so broadly.

* * *

_Goddess! That light show was amazing!_ Liara stumbled as she exited the stargate and looked around; hot, sandy, and desolate except for the ruins Doctor Jackson described. _ This place reminds me of Therum._ She smiled. Not only was she reminded of meeting Shepard on Therum, despite the ensuing violence one of her happiest memories, but the ruins themselves spoke to the archeologist within her. Years as an information broker, and a brief stint as an honest-to-goddess war hero, had prevented her from pursuing her original passion, but the desire had never truly gone away. _And now I may have an opportunity to revisit old interests with the scientific members of the SGC,_ she thought happily.

Daniel Jackson bounded through the stargate behind her and wormhole disengaged. "Pretty cool, huh?" he asked. Liara smiled in response. "Let me show you around." They walked down the stone steps from the stargate's pad and towards a series of weathered stone walls and tan colored tents. "The ruins are scattered about the stargate," Daniel motioned with his hand, "out to about 20 kilometers in every direction. We don't know for sure who they were, but their technology level was pre-industrial. There is an oasis fed by an underground spring about 15 kilometers north of here, and we're seeing remains of a stone aqueduct. They were also fairly adept road builders. We figure it was roughly analogous to ancient Rome on Earth." Daniel paused, "Are you familiar with old Earth history at all?"

Liara nodded, "Very little, but I am familiar with the Romans. Many of the scientific words in your language are based on something called Latin?" Daniel nodded. "When I was researching the etymology of some terms I came across history books about the Roman Empire. It made for an interesting night's reading." Daniel winced. Liara could tell he was a bit bothered by how cavalierly she had dismissed one of Earth's greatest civilizations.

"Anyway, we've had a fairly constant presence here for the past few months; between 6 and 10 scientists, with a SG-team's worth of security. We could commute back and forth each day through the gate, but we rather just set up a few tents and keep the gate free for other exploration or tactical missions. We rotate personnel and refresh supplies about every week."

Liara smiled, "This really does remind me of some of my dig sites when I was a doctoral candidate." Daniel smiled back. "May I join this expedition in some way? I am afraid I would be coming to this survey a bit cold. Is that the right expression?"

* * *

Daniel smiled, "Yes, that's the right expression. Don't worry about that. You know the basics, and we're pretty much coming at this whole thing cold ourselves. We need trained archeologists who are cleared on the stargate program, and you're an archeologist. One of the best, so I hear," he smiled.

"Someone likes to brag" Liara responded with a smile. Jackson watched Liara's demeanor change as she powered up her omni-tool. The Asari was all business now, and Jackson liked what he saw. The omni-tool's scanner produced a three-dimensional representation of the dig site in the air above her hand. A few tapped out commands and a grid overlay appeared, it coincided with the wood stake and twine grid the SGC personnel had laid out. Liara scrutinized the display.

Jackson's smile widened as Liara's nose scrunched up in thought. It was, in a word, adorable. He sighed, and remembered how Sha're had that look about her sometimes, usually when he had become so absorbed in his work that he'd forgotten eat. He wasn't above being jealous of Shepard and Liara's relationship. They had defied death at least twice to remain together. By all rights they could look forward to a long life together, something he would never get with Sha're. Still, he _was_ above letting it sour his relationship with them. He was content to be happy for what Shepard and Liara had rather than be sad for what he had lost._ Thankfully, Shepard realizes just how lucky she is_, he thought.

"Is something wrong, Daniel?" Liara asked. She had powered off her omni-tool and was looking at him.

"Oh, just remembering something." _How long has she been looking at me?_ The alarm on his wrist watch beeped, _saved by the bell._ "Looks like we've had enough for one day. We're due back at the SGC."

"Oh? I have only just started," Liara cocked her head to the side and placed a fist on her hip.

"Sorry, this was just a show and tell. Hammond couldn't get clearance for you to remain offworld for extended missions. Plus we've got a whole lot of background information you should probably take a look at before you get too deep into the minutiae." He shrugged, "Sorry."

Liara smirked. "It is ok, Doctor Jackson. I need some time to go over the readings I have taken with my omni-tool." Jackson's eyebrows arched. "Oh, the scans I have taken are probably more sensitive than what your instruments are capable of. Did you know there is a large crypt 10 meters directly beneath us?"

Daniel's jaw dropped, "No, I was not aware of that," he said flatly.

Liara smiled, "Then I think we both have some data to review back at Stargate Command."

* * *

Lord Ba'al, Goa'uld System Lord, leaned forward in his throne, _what is _that_?_ He had commanded Nerus and his Jaffa to bring a large display for the long-range communications device into his throne room; it sounded its _unknown event_ warning moments ago. The stealthed transport ship in low orbit above the target chappa'ai was relaying real-time video surveillance. Since the shuttle's arrival after the original alert many days ago, they had monitored nothing more than mundane tau'ri activity on the arid world; _until now_. The creature in the center of the frame speaking with the Tau'ri known as Daniel Jackson was something Ba'al had never seen before.

"It would appear that the Tau'ri have made a new friend," Ba'al observed.

"And she is quite the beauty," Nerus responded unbidden.

Ba'al shot him a look and he looked at the floor. In the strictest sense, as a goa'ul, Ba'al was asexual. He tended to take male human hosts, however, and millennia of that habit had instilled in him a certain _affinity_ for the female form. Also, like any goa'uld he was a hedonist and occasionally took human slaves to his bed to experience the pleasure his host body could provide him. But, this… This blue creature on the display piqued his curiosity in more than _just_ a sexual way; and he had to admit, he found the shapely blue figure more alluring than he normally found females.

The blue woman on the display represented something new. _A new ally for the Tau'ri, perhaps?_ Ba'al didn't believe in coincidences; the emergence of the new Tau'ri weapon, _if it even _was_ a weapon_, the new _unknown events_ recorded by the chappa'ai computers, and now a new species of alien, that was too much happening all at once. They must be connected. _But how?_

"My Lord," his First Prime asked respectfully from one knee, "Shall we capture this creature for interrogation?"

Ba'al looked at his Jaffa. He admired his aggressiveness, but now was not the time to act. _Not yet._ "No, Jaffa. The time is not yet right." He pondered for a moment, "Do the Tau'ri have any devices which could detect my ship's presence?"

"We have detected no such sensors, my Lord," the Jaffa responded.

Ba'al was about to say something when he observed the blue creature's right hand light up with a faint orange glow.

"Now that's new," observed Nerus.

Ba'al didn't respond. He was too engrossed in the image. The video, recorded from low orbit, carried no sound but he could see them conversing. _What manner of technology has their new blue friend provided them with?_ The orange glow dissipated, they spoke some more. Then the Tau'ri Jackson dialed the chappa'ai and, presumably, opened a wormhole back to his home. They stepped through the gate and disappeared. _The stealth shuttle wouldn't have been able to deorbit and capture her quickly enough anyway._

A small instrument strapped to Nerus' ample waist beeped loudly. He consulted it. "Low-energy event detected, m'lord." He looked at the display, "At _that_ gate."

_There are no such things as coincidences._ Ba'al made a decision. "Order the stealth ship to maintain its vigil, and prepare a ha'tak for immediate sortie to that world. Have it lay in wait behind the planet's moon and stand by for orders."

"At once my Lord."


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N (06/30/2013):**

Welcome back. Sorry that I've gone to a once-a-month publishing schedule, but life has gotten busy. Thanks for understanding. This post should be pretty long, broken into three chapters (even a couple fluff chapters if you can believe that), so I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 26**:

Shepard bounded out of the Stargate and looked around. She felt naked wearing her _flak jacket_ and holding onto her antique-looking P90, _and this _Kevlar_ helmet is total shit! _Victoria wore no N7 armor, she carried no advanced weapons. Doctor Lee and company were running tests on them again, _hopefully not damaging them_, and this world was considered thoroughly under SGC control. She _shouldn't_ need them. Still, it _was_ policy to travel through the gate armed; at least she didn't need to argue that point with the locals. _Though you wouldn't know to look at Colonel O'Neill,_ she thought, _I don't think I've _ever_ seen him wear any armor; just that dumb baseball cap._

O'Neill leaped through the gate behind Shepard and the wormhole disengaged. He made a casual sweep of the horizon and lowered his P90. "Looks good, let's get rolling," he said. Shepard fell in behind the Colonel. She wasn't quite so casual about lowering her weapon; she swept it from left to right as they walked down a well-worn path through knee-high grass.

Noticing fresh knobby-tire tracks on the path, Shepard spoke up, "You've been moving some heavy equipment through here?"

"Observant, Commander," Jack said sardonically. "You'll recall using your _super powers_ to push a few very heavy crates through the Stargate a few days ago? That was very helpful, by the way. You saved us a bunch of time. Thanks." He smiled.

"I do recall," Victoria said, still sweeping her submachine gun left and right looking for potential targets. Normally Shepard wouldn't chat while on patrol, but it seemed that Jack's lack of concern for their environment was rubbing off on her; at least a little bit, at any rate. "What was in them?"

"You'll see," he said cryptically. Shepard rolled her eyes.

After about ten minutes of walking the two officers came upon a wide shallow valley abutting upon a sheer face of sandstone. Nestled near the rock wall were a series of corrugated metal structures and field tents. A wide strip of cut grass ran down the center of the valley. "Is this an airbase?"

"Among other things."

Shepard didn't much appreciate being kept in the dark. Like anyone, she enjoyed a surprise from time to time, but not in the field like this. What if they fell under attack by the goa'uld and she didn't have crucial information? Would they all die because Colonel O'Neill wanted 'show her something cool'? All she could get out of Jack before they departed was that they were traveling to a _safe_ world, that they were using it as a training and research area, and that he wanted her to see it. _At least Liara's field trip was more up her alley_, she thought to herself. Then she smiled. She remembered how excited Liara was to be back in the saddle, at least in terms of archeology.

They walked on. As they approached the installation Shepard began to notice things. Small well-hidden sensors dotted the perimeter. Shepard imagined that they were rigged to detect movement and footsteps. Undoubtedly the personnel at this base were already aware of their presence. _Good._ There were a number of slit-trenches and sandbag pillboxes scattered about. Victoria approved, she was glad to see that whoever was in charge of this installation was not taking their alleged safety from goa'uld attack for granted. As Shepard and O'Neill attained the airstrip she noticed a lot of pebbles and other potential FOD. She also noticed a distinct lack of landing gear marks. Her curiosity was piqued, they obviously didn't base or intend to base _conventional_ aircraft out of this field. The FOD alone would be a disaster for any western-built jet aircraft.

* * *

Jack looked at Commander Shepard. _She doesn't switch off_, he thought. This world's Stargate address, was not on the Abydos cartouche, and, therefore, unknown to the goa'uld; so they were safe. _Safe as anyone _can_ be in this galaxy,_ Jack added to himself. The fact that Major Harper's team had been ambushed on a similarly _unknown_ world was very troubling. Hopefully that was a fluke related to the explosive biotics experiment, or at least that was the conventional wisdom.

The assumed anonymity of this world was what prompted the SGC to establish an offsite supply depot here. While not as thorough as the 'alpha site', this place still had its charms. They were also using it to field test some micro-satellites and other equipment based on captured goa'uld technology. That's what brought them here today. General Hammond wanted Shepard involved in some of that development; she knew a thing or two about space-based surveillance systems.

It also got Shepard out of the mountain, and out of people's hair. Jack thought it was utter bullshit, but some of the SGC personnel still didn't take too kindly to Shepard's _lifestyle_. _All with the tacit approval of a certain douchebag Senator,_ O'Neill groused_. _For his money Hammond thought it was bullshit too, but he was getting pressure from higher up the chain to keep a lid on things. The President felt that quelling some zealots' contempt for something as _simple_ as Shepard and Liara's civil rights wasn't worth playing their hand against Senator Kinsey. Jack bristled at the thought. He didn't want to serve with the likes of them, and he just _couldn't_ wait until the Senator got his.

Jack had considered taking Shepard on as part of SG-1. He still was to a certain extent. But, somehow, he just didn't think she'd fit in. Or want to fit in, definitely now that Liara was here. Reunited with her love, no Reapers to fight, Jack thought it was only a matter of time before she requested to be discharged and settled somewhere offworld where they could live together openly. _Colorado Springs certainly isn't going to be a safe place for Liara, and it probably won't be safe _from_ Shepard if anyone got in her face about her and her _wife.

He wished that _was_ an option, too. Perhaps they could call the Tollan? Maybe they would take a pair of high-tech refugees? The goa'uld certainly seemed content to leave them alone. Jack shrugged to himself; he'd take that up with Hammond when they returned to the SGC.

They seemed to be so in love, it was heartwarming. It reminded him of when he was still married, before his son died. Jack shook his head and tried to clear his mind of unpleasant memories. Then he recalled how Shepard seemed to want to talk about it when they went ring shopping, and how he almost let her. Jack was saved from himself when he spotted Major Harper.

"Colonel O'Neill," Major Harper snapped a salute as he emerged from one of the corrugated steel structures. Jack returned the salute casually as he noticed Harper lurch a little bit when he realized his companion was Commander Shepard. It would seem that her _conventional_ attire had confused him initially. "Commander Shepard," he saluted her as well, though with less enthusiasm. That puzzled Jack. Harper had never been less that completely polite to Shepard _and_ Liara, despite what happened to his SG-5 team, but he acted so oddly towards her; obviously cold, but there was something else about his behavior that still baffled him. _Though, he's not one of the bigots that have been giving Shepard grief either,_ he thought. _Strange._

"Ready for the show 'n tell?" Jack asked.

"Yes, sir," Harper replied, "Right this way."

* * *

_These guys are learning quickly,_ Shepard thought as she hiked back to the Stargate with Colonel O'Neill. Major Harper had given them a good tour, even if he behaved a bit woodenly. Victoria resolved to ask Jack about that when they had a moment back in The Mountain. They had an effective if sparse laboratory setup that would make even Mordin proud. Their stockpile of supplies, spares, and ammunition would give any Krogan a hard-on. Apparently the biotics display she'd favored them with a few days ago delivered several dozen shoulder-fired surface to air missiles, and three pallets of anti-tank rockets. Plus some items that she hadn't been briefed on. _Crates landed right on their cargo rovers, I guess I am as good as I think I am_, she thought.

The armaments had surprised her, actually. Even without the planned squadron of fighter aircraft or the flotilla of spy-sats, they had enough ordinance to take on a squadron of death gliders and a solid company of Jaffa. Considering the goa'uld weren't supposed to even know this planet existed, it was certainly a good start.

This visit was primarily a meet-and-greet. Shepard would be coming back on a regular basis, for a few days at a time, to help SG-5 and the local science team get the rest of their satellites unpacked and a deployment plan put together. In a few weeks' time the SGC would begin emplacing fighters that could start lofting the recon drones into orbit. _If they can get that _Prometheus_ thing working properly._ Until then they were relying on something called an MQ-1 Predator UAV to keep an eye on things, but that had no deep space capability. _Or _any_ space capability,_ she thought.

Shepard was so busy running down a mental list of items she needed to square away at this installation, she even had a few ideas on how to jump the spy-sat deployment ahead, that she didn't she didn't hear the noise at first. The Stargate came into view and distracted her further, another few steps and seconds lost. Then she noticed it; coiled, rattling, and hissing ready to strike. If she had been paying more attention she would have stopped, taken a step back, and walked around the snake leaving it in peace. It didn't mean her any harm, it was just doing its snake thing and she had stumbled upon it; all of the rattling and hissing was its last-ditch effort to make her go away. But she was just too surprised, so she reacted on instinct.

"Holy shit!" Jack shouted has he dove to the ground. The blue flash of the singularity field had caught him by as much surprise as the snake had Shepard. The rattlesnake, or whatever passed for a rattlesnake on this world, floated off the ground writhing madly. Shepard followed up with a warp field and the snake _disappeared_ with a loud thunderclap and blue Cherenkov-like flash.

Shepard didn't actually realize what she had just done until the echo faded. She looked around, P90 sweeping the horizon on its own accord. Little bits of snakeskin fluttered to the ground. For a brief instant she was in London, ash falling from the sky, explosions echoing off of the gutted city buildings. She shook her head and centered herself. "Clear," she said.

"What the hell was that?" Jack said brushing himself off.

"I think it was a rattlesnake," Victoria responded. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention. It surprised me."

"Well shit, Shepard," Jack replied, "Remind me never to sneak up on you." He looked around. "I think we've done enough to the local wildlife for one day, let's dial home."

* * *

"Replay that last part," commanded Lord Ba'al.

Nerus pressed a few buttons on his control unit and the image rolled back. The tall soldier walking next to the accursed Colonel O'Neill launched a blue glowing orb towards a small reptile in their path. A moment later another orb impacted the now floating snake and it exploded.

"Now that's certainly interesting," Ba'al observed to himself.

The image continued to play and showed the figures dial the gate and leave the planet. The video looped back. "The low-energy event corresponded with the tall soldier transiting the event horizon," Nerus observed. He didn't need to mention again that until an _event_ was recorded several days ago, they had no idea there even _was_ a chappa'ai on this world. Nor did he need to mention that the tau'ri installation on the planet was also a surprise to them. _The tau'ri have certainly been busy._

"Have we recorded any more activity at the settlement?"

"No m'lord," Nerus replied. "Less than two dozen of the tau'ri, rudimentary defenses, only local patrols. The tel'tak _could_ destroy the facility, if they do not have any hidden heavy weapons."

"No," Ba'al responded. There was no questioning his tone. "I will not settle for a few dozen of these SGC tau'ri. I want the person who did _that_," he pointed at the image. He scrutinized it further. "Enhance the image of the taller one's face. Is that a _woman_?"

Nerus adjusted the image. A pale freckled face came into focus; fire red hair peeked out from beneath the helmet. Nerus arched an eyebrow, "It appears to be."

Ba'al steepled his fingers and placed them against his lips in thought. He turned to his First Prime, "Dispatch a ha'tak. I want that woman brought to me."

* * *

Liara T'soni stood in the gate room and watched the formation vortex rush towards her. The tempest of blue energy dissipated and settled into the familiar 'shimmering puddle'. A few moments passed, undoubtedly Walter was interrogating the IFF gear in the control room. "Defense teams, stand down," he called through the intercom. The half-dozen SF troopers lowered their weapons and two figures came through the gate. The first through was O'Neill. He took his baseball cap off and waved hello. Immediately behind him was Shepard, she carried herself much less casually. Then she saw Liara and smiled.

"Honey, I'm home," she said cheerfully. _She can certainly turn _Viking Vikki_ on and off like a switch, _she thought. Shepard safed her weapon and lowered it on its sling. She then favored Liara with a peck on the cheek, much to the surprise of the Security Forces personnel still milling about the gate room until the wormhole disengaged. A blush turned Liara's cheeks purple despite what was on her mind.

The Stargate shut down and Liara spoke, "Welcome back Shepard. We have something we must discuss."

"Uhoh," opined Jack, "Last time I heard a girl tell me that she said she wanted to start seeing other people."

Shepard arched an eyebrow. Undoubtedly she had already read Liara's facial expression and body posture and noticed something was on her mind, but she would never fear that she wanted to end their relationship. They were bonded; for the rest of Shepard's life, much to Victoria's constant awe and delight. "What's wrong?" Shepard asked seriously.

Liara paused, "It is Thessia," she said, "Change out of your gear and meet us in Daniel's lab."

* * *

"You're certain, Liara? Completely certain?" Shepard was in a state of shock.

"Yes, Victoria; I recognize these constellations," she pointed to a series of photographs of a night sky. "That is the Goddess Athame's shield," she traced out a roughly square shaped series of stars. "This one," she pointed to a surprisingly straight line of six stars, "is Her sword. The last one, the red giant at the tip, is roughly analogous to your North Star, Polaris."

Shepard had a jaw-dropped expression about her; not so much about what Liara had just told her, but because of Liara's lack of emotion about it. "So, this _is_ Thessia," Shepard said flatly.

"We call it P3X-888," said Major Carter. She paused, "It's the homeworld of a reptilian humanoid race called the Unas," she paused, "and the goa'uld," she said sadly.

"Motherfucker," Victoria said softly to no one in particular. _I never thought I'd see Thessia again,_ Shepard thought, _certainly not like this._ Shepard's mission to Thessia in the other _place_ still weighed heavily upon her; such senseless destruction, graceful flowing architecture reduced to flaming chaos. It hurt more than Earth sometimes. Despite her feigned protestations to the contrary, she _did_ have a thing for 'blue'. Seeing such beauty devastated still gave her nightmares. Now it was happening all over again. _I wanted to raise our children in Armali,_ Shepard thought, _where Liara grew up._

"It would seem that the children of Thessia hold great influence over the galaxy in this _place_ as well back home," Liara observed coolly.

Shepard could barely speak, "How are you so calm, beloved?" The term of endearment only did so much to salve the grief she felt.

"I knew my people did not exist here," she said. "Without eezo, evolution on Thessia would, necessarily, be very different. Not only for us, but for the Protheans as well," she paused, "and without their partial uplift, we certainly would not be the people we were where we came from."

"But," Shepard said with a waiver in her voice, "the goa'uld? Nothing like them existed on Thessia back home."

"We have a theory on that, actually," Major Carter spoke up. Obviously subdued by the revelation, she was still keenly interested in the scientific implications of the discovery. The group looked at her expectantly. "Our best guess is that the presence of eezo on _your_ Thessia somehow prevented the development of goa'uld biology."

"And the absence of it resulted in the development of the Unas rather than the progenitor of the Asari?" asked Jack in a somewhat surprising bit of deductive reasoning. "Or, perhaps, the Unas _are_ the progenitors of the Asari?"

Carter's face scrunched up in thought, "This is more likely a case of divergent evolution from a very ancient common ancestor. Sexual dimorphism is a _big_ deal," Jack's eyebrow shot up a few inches. Carter cleared her throat, "From an evolutionary standpoint, sir. Our biologists _still_ aren't 100% sure how or why it actually happened. Perhaps eezo impacted its development on Thessia, I couldn't say. Either way Liara," she looked at her sadly, "we've compared your genetic material to that of what we've seen in the Unas. There are," she paused, "_similarities_."

"Interesting," Liara observed. She was looking at photographs of the Unas that the SGC had encountered. "Other than the humanoid form, I see almost no similarities between these people and mine. And you say they are sexually dimorphic?"

"How are you so cool about this?" Shepard asked.

Liara placed photograph of the lizard-people who inhabited 'Thessia' on the table and looked at her. She smiled warmly, "Let me show you." She held both hands out to her across the table. The members of SG-1 leaned back to observe, they were obviously very curious as to what would happen next. Shepard reached out and took her beloved's hands; the warmth of her touch was comforting. "Embrace eternity," she said with a smile, and her eyes flashed black.

* * *

Liara could feel Shepard enter her consciousness. She could feel her confusion, her sadness. She felt that Shepard considered Thessia's fate in this reality her fault, somehow. That was preposterous, and Shepard needed to understand that. Liara accepted Shepard's sadness unto herself, she showered her with love. She felt her mate calm substantially.

_This is not your doing, beloved_, Liara broadcast through the bond.

_Are you sure? Who's to say that the gestalt didn't cause this when it sent us here?_

_That is unlikely, and you know it. What is it that is really bothering you? _Liara felt hesitation, she felt _guilt_. _You need not hide anything from me, my love. What is it?_ She sent her love to Shepard, it had the desired effect.

_I'm concerned about you. I'm concerned that you don't seem to feel anything about this. You know how badly the loss of Thessia weighs on my mind, and I only visited once. It must be awful for you. Or it _should_ be._

Liara smiled through the bond, _My people take the long-view, beloved. There is nothing I can do about the Thessia of this _place_, so sadness and anxiety serve no purpose. Also, I anticipated my people did not exist here anyway, this is not a surprise to me._

_But the Asari are gone! These goa'uld monsters have taken their place!_ Liara could feel Shepard's anguish through the bond, she comforted her.

_You are mistaken, my love. We will deal with the goa'uld, just as surely as we dealt with the Reapers. As to the Asari, do not despair. So long as I live, and my daughters, and their daughters, there will be Asari in this universe. _She felt Shepard's realization.

_You knew you could be the mother of a new Asari race, and that's why you were not upset?_

_Of course I am upset,_ Liara chided, _but my grief is tempered. You will recall that you mentioned to me when I first arrived that there would be some who consider me a threat because I can spawn a new Asari race. Or were you too troubled to remember?_ Liara could feel that Shepard had indeed forgotten, she was so upset by the revelation._ Will you be the _father_ of my people?_

_Like you have to ask?_

Liara smiled as she broke the bond.

* * *

Samantha was definitely weirded out by the black eyes. She'd only ever seen it twice now, she refused to watch the surveillance footage recorded in their bedroom, and it was certainly a sight to be seen. She couldn't imagine what this might be doing to them. Shepard was obviously broken up, but she still had difficulty reading Liara. "What do you think she's saying?" Carter asked.

"Don't worry, be happy?" offered O'Neill.

"It might be that simple," observed Daniel. "Have you noticed how Liara can completely disarm Shepard?"

An awkward silence passed. "Then I certainly hope nothing ever happens to Liara, for all of our sakes," Jack said. He immediately thought better of it.

"How can you say that?" asked Carter. _Sir, that's cold._

"Jesus, Jack!" Daniel chimed in, "That's like tempting fate too, and you know it."

"Yeah," he looked at the floor, "I _shouldn't_ have said that."

Carter scowled, then she looked at the couple. They were still _elsewhere._ "At least they didn't hear you say it, sir," she said.

Silently observing until now, Tea'c spoke up, "Colonel O'Neill does raise an important point, Daniel Jackson. Would it not be wise to consider the relationship between Commander Shepard and Doctor T'soni, and the implications losing one of them might carry." He paused in reflection, "I believe it was with a sense of loss for Doctor T'soni that Commander Shepard sang the karaoke. She is undoubtedly a very emotional woman."

Somehow when Teal'c said it in his detached polite way it sounded less crass. Still, relevant or not, the whole line of thought did not sit well with Samantha. _And they _had_ certainly all noticed how badly Shepard was hurting at Fraiser's house_. "We might have to cross that bridge when we come to it, sir," she said as Shepard blinked hard and shook her head. Liara's eyes returned to their normal blue-within-blue.

Shepard smiled.

_She's smiling?_ Thought Carter. _I wonder what she said._

* * *

**A/N:  
**

Up Next: A couple of lighthearted chapters.


	28. Chapter 27

**A/N:**

So, I don't know exactly where I got the idea for this chapter (maybe 'a day in the life under The Mountain'?), but I figured that this story was pretty dark, and is only going to get darker, so it needed at least a little fluff. Also, I think biotics would make for awesome party tricks...

I realize that this chapter doesn't really fit in with the overall tone of the story, so think of it as a one-off.

* * *

**Chapter 27**:

Shepard dozed lazily in her bed under Cheyenne Mountain.

Despite being on the front lines in the war against the goa'uld, the SGC followed a surprisingly civilian-like schedule for its non-combat operations. As such, Shepard was relaxing on an uneventful Friday night, looking forward to having nothing to do except lesson planning for the rest of the weekend. She already had most of her _'how to captain a starship'_ class for next week planned out, so she didn't anticipate it taking much of her time.

Shepard felt almost guilty not having anything to do. Her career in the Alliance Navy had rarely afforded her opportunities to relax, and when it did they sometimes misfired; her one-and-only shore leave on Elysium was a graphic example. Once she was inducted as a Spectre almost all of her time was consumed preparing for, then fighting, total-war on a galactic scale. _Well, except for that party we threw back on the Citadel before we attacked the Illusive Man's base,_ she reminded herself with a smile.

Victoria wondered idly if the _other_ Liara still had the keys to Anderson's old apartment. Did she still go there? Did her friends? Did they gather to celebrate their victory and mourn their dead? Would Liara even want to attend such a gathering? Did it even still _exist_? She shook her head. You could drive yourself to frustration entertaining such thoughts.

_What should we do tonight?_ Shepard wondered. She recalled that Daniel and Teal'c were involved in some sort of movie marathon in the rec room, but their selections for this evening seemed like something Liara might not enjoy. _Perhaps some biotic sparring in the gym?_ She wondered. Shepard smiled, _that_ usually ended up with them back in their quarters, all wound up and sweaty. She smiled more at the thought. Perhaps she could convince General Hammond to let her take Liara up to the surface and wander the base grounds. She was sure that she could find some sort of clothing that was concealing enough that no one would notice her until they got into the woods and away from prying eyes. _Then again, some Chinese satellite might catch a glimpse of her; I doubt the Chinese military would just assume a member of _Blue Man Group_ was visiting Cheyenne Mountain and ignore it._

Shepard turned her head on her pillow to look at her mate. She was hunched over her laptop computer, one of the high end ones the SGC had bought her with the stylized head on the lid with the light-up eyes. She was so intent on the screen, clicking rapidly, and typing wildly. _I wonder what she's doing?_

"Goddess!" Liara exclaimed.

Shepard arched an eyebrow as Liara's nose scrunched up in concentration. She started typing again madly. Shepard smiled; she was so adorable when she did that. "Liara? Love? What'cha doin'?"

Her shoulders slumped in what looked like dejection as she read something on the screen. Without turning her head she replied, "Bill suggested I play what he called an _online_ _video game_," she said with a sneer, "as a way of socializing without having to leave the mountain. Since they will not let me leave the mountain." She sighed, "I was enjoying myself until this _mah-gee_ started bothering me. He helped me with some quests, but now he will not leave me alone." She scowled at the screen, "No, I will not _buff your staff_!" she said typing angrily, "What does that even mean Shepard?"

Victoria was out of her bed and at Liara's side in an instant. "Wait, what did he say? Who is this?"

Liara pointed to some cartoonish man with a cloak and a staff with a jewel at its top. "This _mah-gee_."

"Mage," Shepard said looking at the chat log.

"What?"

"It's pronounced mage. It's old French, I think."

"But do you not speak English?"

"Yeah, English sorta steals all of its vocabulary from unsuspecting foreign languages."

"Fascinating."

"Anyway," Shepard said, trying to get back on topic, "what's this guy been doing?"

"I met him yesterday. He helped me slay a big spider." Shepard arched an eyebrow, _I bet Tali would be proud_. "I thanked him, but now whenever I log in he finds me and will not leave me alone."

Shepard looked at Liara's screen, "You named yourself Lidanya? Wasn't she the Captain of the _Destiny Ascension_."

"Yes, a formidable warrior, and very taken by a certain human Spectre."

"Wait. What? I never heard that."

"No, I made sure you did not." Liara said arching an eyebrow. "I have no intention of sharing with a Matriarch. No matter how formidable she may be."

Shepard made a harrumphing sound and Liara sported a lopsided grin. Victoria leaned in to look at the screen. "Well, you don't exactly have pointy ears or long flowing hair, but she does have the same shade of skin as you."

"It was the closest thing I could find to a Justicar. Also, not the point."

"Yes love," Shepard replied placing a kiss on Liara's scalp folds. She giggled despite her being agitated, she was mildly ticklish. _Well, more than mildly in _some_ places,_ Shepard thought with a smile. The offending mage sent another message; Shepard's eyes went wide in rage that someone would say something so rude to her beloved. Then she looked at the character's name; _Spectacularleesexy_. Shepard's eyes narrowed, _wait a minute_. "Liara, who did you say turned you on to this game?"

"Bill Lee, one of the civilian scientists who works with Samantha."

Shepard's eyes rolled. Liara was one of the smartest people she knew. As the Shadow Broker she was cold, calculating, and ruthless. She was one of the most talented biotics Shepard had ever met, and on the battle field she was nearly as deadly as her. But she could also be profoundly oblivious, especially in subjects outside her usual envelope of experience; like English turns of a phrase or plays on words. Victoria loved Liara, utterly and without reservation, even when her quirks sometimes got her into trouble. _Not that this would be trouble for much longer_, she thought. "I guess just try to ignore him? If he doesn't start leaving you alone soon, I'd suggest complaining to the game's administrators."

Shepard didn't know Bill Lee very well, despite his near constant efforts to destroy her equipment in _engineering tests_, but she was familiar with him and his habits. Some nights when the nightmares woke her from her sleep, but didn't also wake Liara, Shepard would wander the corridors of the SGC. More than once she had observed Doctor Lee in his lab playing on his laptop in the wee hours of the morning. Victoria formulated a plan. She could check to see if he was there now on the way, not that she had any doubt. "Love, I have to take care of something real quick, I'll be back in a little bit. Would you like me to grab you some popcorn from the commissary?"

Liara's eyes lit up. Since being introduced to popcorn on the _SR-1_ she couldn't get enough of the stuff. She slapped her hands together and rubbed her palms hungrily, "I would love some." She pulled Victoria down by her shirt into a kiss. "In the meantime, I will try to conduct my quest while ignoring this annoying mage."

"Have fun storming the castle," she said with a wink while exiting their quarters. Liara didn't notice she was wearing her _game face_.

* * *

"I do not understand Daniel Jackson. Would not the sound from their motion sensors give the Marines' positions away? Why would they include such a feature in their design?" Teal'c quietly asked looking at the movie screen.

"For dramatic effect, Teal'c. It's all adding to the atmosphere of suspense."

"I question the logic of such a design requirement."

"It's a movie, Teal'c," chimed in O'Neill, "It requires a certain suspension of disbelief."

Teal'c, a _space alien_ himself, pondered that for a moment. Arching an eyebrow, he nodded his head in silent agreement. He returned his attention to the screen.

A chair rustled in the dark, "Game over man! Game over!" Shepard exclaimed quietly. The members of SG-1 directed their attention to the new moviegoer; fortunately no one else in the rec room seemed to notice. "Great flick." They nodded greetings and turned back to the screen. The chair rustled again, "Guys, I really don't want to disturb your movie, but I need your help. It's sorta an emergency." That got their attention. Teal'c, Daniel, Jack, and Shepard quietly rose from their chairs and exited to the hallways lest they disturb anyone else.

Once Jack had closed the rec room door he turned to the Spectre and asked, "What's up Shepard?" Shepard could tell that Jack was curious but mildly bothered to come out of the movie to not find the corridor on fire or swarming with replicators or something similarly cataclysmic; he didn't much care for someone using the word 'emergency' lightly.

She didn't know how else to say it, so Victoria just laid it on the line. "Bill Lee is flirting with my wife in an online video game right now. She's getting pissed off that he won't leave her alone. I want your help to get him to stop," she paused, "forever." She flashed him a wolfish grin, "And record it on video, might make for good 'movie night' material."

Jack pondered that for a moment and nodded his head from side to side. "Sounds like an emergency to me, how can we help?"

Shepard smiled; she really enjoyed working with Jack sometimes. She turned to Teal'c. "Teal'c, do you have a wooden staff and some robes I can borrow?"

* * *

Doctor Bill Lee was so engrossed in his computer game that he did not hear the door to his lab open. Even if he weren't so fixated on the blue-ish elf he was hitting on, his back was facing the door so he certainly did not see SG-1 steal into the lab and crouch behind a lab bench where Daniel Jackson set up a video camera. It was late on a Friday night in The Mountain, and people rarely bothered him in his lab anyway, so what happened next came as a complete surprise to him.

The first indication that something was wrong was when the entire lab went dark. This, in and of itself, wasn't necessarily an evil portent; the lights had a motion sensor and sometimes he didn't move enough at his desk to keep them active. The sudden re-illumination of his laboratory with a rich Cherenkov-like glow certainly _was_ out of the ordinary, however.

"Spectacularleesexy!" a voice boomed from behind.

Bill Lee went rigid with fear. He slowly turned around. He beheld a terrifying visage; a tall robed figure, face concealed beneath a large hood, stood at the door. In one hand the figure held a wooden staff with a brilliant blue glowing orb affixed at the end. "Yes?" Bill choked out a reply.

The figure pointed a long finger at him. "I am here at the bidding of the High Council of Kirin Tor! You are accused of behavior unbecoming of a Mage of the Realm!" As if to accentuate the point a blue glow enveloped the pointed finger.

"What, what, what do you mean?" Bill tried to stammer.

"Do not feign ignorance Spectacularleesexy! We know all. We see all. We know of your disrespectful behavior towards our elven allies of the Justicar Clan. Do you not think _We_ would let that go un-punished?"

A blue glow enveloped his laptop and it hurtled across the room into the waiting hand of the self-identified emissary from Kirin Tor. _Justicar Clan?_ Doctor Lee had never heard of that particular faction.

Suddenly the blue light disappeared and the lab was plunged into darkness. Bill Lee's heart pounded in his ears. Then he felt a _presence_. "Listen very carefully, Spectacular_lee_sexy," Shepard's voice whispered in his ear, "If you are ever less than completely polite to my wife ever again," a dramatic pause, "you'll not have much of a staff left to buff."

The weight of his laptop computer dropped into Doctor Lee's lap. A few heart beats later the lights came back on to find the lab empty save for Doctor Lee and the snickering members of SG-1 and their video camera.

* * *

"Honey, I'm home," Shepard sing-songed as she re-entered her guest quarters. She was greeted by a wide smile and outstretched hands which veered towards the popcorn bowl rather than the embrace she was hoping for. _Asari love popcorn,_ Shepard thought. "Sorry it took so long. They had to make a fresh batch. Did that mage leave you alone?"

"Yes," Liara said around a mouthful of popcorn. She finished chewing and swallowed. "He abruptly disconnected a few minutes ago," she said before shoving another fistful into her mouth. She beamed a smile to Shepard as she chewed.

"I'm glad to hear that," Shepard said with a large grin. "Oh, I think you'll want to come to next week's movie night. Daniel is going to show some home movies before the feature. I think you'll get a kick out of it." She winked.


	29. Chapter 28

**A/N:**

Another one-off fluff chapter (this is the last one, I think). What can I say, I love obtuse references.

* * *

**Chapter 28**:

Shepard knocked on Major Carter's lab's door. She received no response. The door was open, of course, but Shepard preferred to be polite when entering other people's spaces. Victoria poked her head into the lab and saw Carter's back hunched over a work bench. Actinic flashes silhouetted her and an occasional spark flew past he shoulder arcing away as it faded into invisibility.

Shepard let her eyes wander over her backside for a moment and then she caught herself. Liara had, of course, seen Victoria's attraction to Samantha in the bond. She chided her gently about it. Victoria had seen she harbored similar feelings in turn, after all. But they had decided to leave those feelings as a silent, subtle compliment on Carter's beauty, both physically and in personality, and nothing more. Besides, since their meeting on Therum they had both been monogamous, even during her brief stint as a corpse she had learned, and never harbored any serious inclinations to break their unspoken vows to each other. _Still, Sam certainly _is_ pretty_, she shook her head and smiled as she found a set of protective goggles and put them on.

Victoria knew better than to disturb Carter, or anyone for that matter, while they were doing something delicate and or dangerous. She waited quietly for Samantha to finish her current project. She didn't have to wait long before she placed the welding unit, or whatever that device was since Shepard didn't quite recognize it, in its cradle and removed her mask. She turned and regarded Victoria with a start, "Oh! I didn't hear you come in, been standing there long?"

Shepard removed her goggles and placed them back on the work bench, "No, a few minutes."

Carter smirked, "Don't take this the wrong way Shepard, but you're pretty big." Shepard arched an eyebrow. "How do you move around so quietly? And in those combat boots too?" She motioned to her impeccably maintained boots.

Victoria chuckled to herself, "Long hours of practice." She paused. "Liara tells me I move like a predatory cat. I can only assume that's a compliment." Of course, through the bond, she knew it was. _In more ways than one_, she thought with a sly internal grin. "I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you."

It was Carter's turn to arch an eyebrow. She and Shepard had become fast friends since her _arrival_, and she had certainly become more up-beat and outgoing since Liara had joined her, but she had never come to her like this. She looked at her, she seemed a bit _pensive_. Something had the big bad Spectre nervous, _I wonder what that could be?_ "Of course, Victoria, what do you need?"

Victoria looked over her shoulder and closed the laboratory door with a gentle flick of her biotics. She motioned for Carter to join her at a clean lab bench and produced a laptop computer. Placing it on the counter she poised her hand over the cover and looked at her, "If this in any way makes you uncomfortable, just say so and I'll ask someone else. I thought about asking Janet but I don't know if she'd worry about Cassandra intercepting it, so figured I'd come to you first."

Carter arched an eyebrow in concern. "Okay?" she said haltingly. Shepard opened the cover of the laptop and her eyes went wide. Then she sighed in relief. "Doing some shopping then?"

"Yes, I was wondering if I could have it shipped to your house; it'll already be wrapped, you just need to take it out of the shipping box. I'd really rather not have Walter see this come in through the base post, and I don't know if Jack would be able to resist bugging me about it." She looked up at the security camera to make sure the screen was shielded from view, "I also want this to be a surprise. Can you help me out?"

Carter chuckled, "Sure Victoria." She looked at the screen, "You have good taste."

Shepard actually blushed.

* * *

Liara came upon the door to Major Carter's lab to the sound of grunting. She poked her head in to see the Major struggling with a large piece of equipment, trying to push it back into position against the wall with little to show for her efforts. The Asari gently placed her laptop computer on one of Carter's work benches and came to her aid. "Major Carter?"

Samantha looked up and smiled, "Hello Liara, how are you?"

"I am fine. Please, let me assist you." Liara approached the heavy object and with a graceful sweep of her arm she enveloped it in a mass effect field. She then helped Carter gently guide it into place before she allowed it to settle to the ground.

Carter dusted off her hands. "Thanks. I had to fix a short on the back of that unit. Getting it back in was harder than pulling it away from the wall."

Liara smiled, "I am glad that I could help. May I ask you something?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

Liara closed the door to the lab and used her biotics to drape a rag over the security camera. _Uhoh,_ Samantha thought, _what now?_

Liara opened her laptop computer. Carter knew that Liara preferred to use her omni-tool, but she did make the effort to also learn the SGC's technology. "I was hoping that you could…" she trailed off trying to navigate to her web browser. Her nose scrunched up in concentration, a look that she knew Shepard found adorable. Sam chuckled, she had to admit, it _was_ cute. "Ah, goddess, I do not know how you can stand to use such a crude interface as this."

Carter arched an eyebrow. She knew that Liara was speaking truthfully, not a drop of sarcasm in her voice. "We make do," she said, "What is it that you need?"

"Ah!" Liara succeeded in bringing up a now familiar website. Carter sighed, she hoped Liara didn't notice. "I would like to purchase a few items for Shepard," she paused, "and myself," she added demurely, "for us to enjoy in our private time together."

"And you'd like to ship them to my house instead of the base?" Carter asked, instantly afraid that she had given away Shepard's surprise.

"Yes," she didn't seem to notice, "I think Shepard would rather this sort of thing kept private. You are a dear and trusted friend to us."

"That," Carter responded in surprise, "means a lot to me." It did, it truly did. Carter had come to be quite fond of both Shepard and Doctor T'soni. She was glad that they had found each other across the expanse of the multiverse, and that she could be there for Shepard in her time of sadness before they did. Even the awkward flirting early on was forgotten.

"Excellent," Liara turned to the computer and made a few clicks, "Do you think that Shepard would like this one?"

Carter rolled her eyes despite herself, _and there's the awkward again_.

* * *

Shepard could sense Liara approaching the door to their room. Well, not _sense_ with any sort of telepathy, despite their ability to meld with others the Asari were not telepathic; but Shepard's keen sense of hearing could detect the very subtle squeak Liara's shoes made on the concrete in the corridor. She had surprised her a few times, opening the door for her just before she reached for the door knob. When confronted Shepard claimed she could feel the approach of her beloved, a _disturbance in the force_; a reference Liara only recently got after a movie marathon with the members of SG-1. Shepard smirked, _Teal'c was certainly batty over the original trilogy_. Through the bond, Liara knew that her explanation was full of shit. Still, she never called her on it. Shepard thought that maybe she was just too flattered to spoil her fun.

Shepard didn't rise to open the door for Liara this time. She had a _better_ surprise for her. Victoria calmly placed her bookmark, a laminated $2 bill, in her novel, closed the book, and tossed it across the room towards her desk. A minute twitch of her biotics guided it in for a landing next to her laptop. Like Liara, she was attempting to become more tech-savvy with the local equipment. She pulled her legs into a cross-legged position, sitting up in their bed. A hand reached under her pillow to make sure that the package was still there, then she folded her hands in her lap and waited.

The door opened and a vision of beauty stepped into their quarters. Liara wore a rough approximation of an Asari-style casual robe she had a seamstress on the internet make for her and a smile. One of her hands was held suspiciously behind her back. Shepard arched an eyebrow in curiosity, but then centered herself. She beamed a smile to her mate and held out her arms beckoning her to an embrace. Liara smiled in response, closed and locked the door, and glided across the room to her. "You look beautiful, Liara," Shepard said as Liara sat on the side of the bed, discreetly dropped something on the floor, and wrapped her arms around her.

A tender kiss; starting chaste but increasing in duration and intensity as neither of them wanted to let go. Shepard reached up and gently rubbed a thumb across Liara's cheek. "Love," she said, "I have a surprise for you." Shepard smiled.

"I have a surprise for you as well," Liara responded.

"Would you like to go first?" Shepard asked.

Liara merely smiled in reply and reached off of the side of the bed to return with a small wrapped package. Shepard cocked an eyebrow, _that wrapping paper looks familiar_, she thought. "I bought it _online_, from a shop with what I thought was a very clever name considering who I was purchasing it for." _Uhoh_, Victoria thought.

"I'm sure I'll love it regardless of where it came from," she said opening the box. Shepard's eyes went wide, but not as wide as Liara's. _Oh shit!_

"That is not what I bought you," Liara said confused and slightly upset.

Victoria held up a pair of panties; blood red, lacy, _cheeky_. They, along with the matching top still in the box, would contrast beautifully against her beloved's pale blue skin. At least that's what _Shepard_ thought when _she_ bought them for _Liara_. She quickly rooted through the rest of the box; all of her other purchases were there too, thankfully.

That would suggest that the box currently under the pillow was the present that Liara bought for her. Which meant that Liara not only bought her something from the same store, hence the same wrapping paper, but she also had it shipped to Carter. All of the pieces fell into place, _that sneak!_ She'd have to compliment Carter for keeping a straight face when she handed her her package, knowing that she was about to hand Liara a similar parcel.

Shepard concluded her introspection and noticed that Liara was frowning. _That won't do._ Shepard smiled, reached up to caress Liara's cheek and kissed her. "No, but it's what I bought for you." She reached under the pillow and produced the other box. "I think Carter might have mixed up our gifts." _Shit, I hope that's what happened_, Shepard thought, _it'll be _extremely_ awkward if I open this box to find something Sam bought for _herself_._

Realization appeared on Liara's face. She smirked. "I believe the correct expression is, _great minds think alike_?" She was already holding her new garments up to herself, she approved.

"Yes Liara," responded Shepard, "though I think you've got me beat in the brains department by a few IQ points." Liara pouted and motioned for Shepard to open her box. _God she's hot when she pouts like that_, Victoria thought as she sliced open the wrapping with her finger nail. She opened the box and her eyes went wide, "Wow."

"Should I ask you to try those on for me?"

Shepard looked up to her mate's gaze, then she looked down at the contents of the box, then she looked at Liara, then the box. A stretch of elastic and a biotically assisted undergarment knocked the surveillance camera out of position. "Maybe tomorrow," she said as she pulled her beloved towards her and kissed her.

* * *

**A/N:**

Next post will get back into the main story arc. Hope you enjoyed the comedic interlude.


	30. Chapter 29

**Author's Note 07-06-2013:**

In honor of the July 4th holiday weekend, here's a bonus chapter. I know it's a bit on the mushy side, but the story is about to take a turn for the dark, so...

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 29**:

Shepard had butterflies in her stomach. She smirked. It was funny; she rarely got the jitters before going into combat. Even in the shuttle ride down to London with Hammer she experienced an unearthly calm. But now, she was trembling. She shook her head, _there's nothing to be nervous about._ In their hearts they were bonded long ago, this was just a symbol. She tried to suppress the gooseflesh as she looked down at the small device in her hand. She was profoundly grateful to General Hammond for this, she'd have to buy him a beer or something next time she got a chance.

Shepard took a deep breath and she opened the door to the guest quarters she shared with her beloved. Liara was sitting at the desk poring over some documents from Jackson's lab, preparing herself for the dig she would return to in a few days. She didn't notice her enter the room and take up position behind her. Liara let out a surprised squeak when Shepard wrapped her arms around her mate's shoulder and gently bit down on the tip of one of her 'hair' folds. Shepard knew how sensitive the tips were, it always drove Liara crazy when she toyed with them. She played her tongue across the tip in her mouth, Liara's whole body shuddered.

"You surprised me!" Liara managed to get past quivering lips. She turned and looked up at her, "You have a rather large smile," she noted coyly, "What have you been up to?"

In the few days since their _chat_ about Thessia, Shepard had settled substantially. The revelation had given what she was about to do new importance, and it refreshed and strengthened her commitment to her mate. "I have a surprise," Shepard said, "Here; stand up over here by the mirror." Shepard smiled warmly and took her wife by the hand. She led Liara to a full length mirror next to one of the simple bureaus they had bought from some place called _Ikea_. Liara looked at herself in the mirror as Shepard stepped up behind her. She reached one hand around her waist and pulled her in closely. She kissed her cheek and whispered into one of her 'ears', "Watch this."

With her other hand Shepard reached up and affixed a small device to Liara's blouse just above her right breast. She pressed a button and with a soft beep the image of Liara T'soni in the mirror was replaced by that of Staff Sergeant Tracy Westerholm.

"Goddess, what is this?" Liara asked running her hands down what now appeared to be Staff Sergeant Westerholm's face and neck.

"It's called a mimetic imaging device," Shepard replied, "A while back a bunch of aliens almost took over the base by posing as SGC personnel. General Hammond let me check one out of the armory for you. Tracy Westerholm was one of the base personnel they impersonated; she said we could use her likeness for the evening. "

"Why?" Liara seemed to be a bit too surprised to have figured out what Shepard had planned.

"We're going on a date."

* * *

The doorbell rang. Cassandra opened the door and smiled, "General, hi!"

"Hello Cassandra, how are you?" he replied with a smile.

"I'm fine, come in."

General Hammond entered Janet Fraiser's house and looked around. He could hear Teal'c and Doctor Fraiser talking in an adjacent room and walked towards the sound. He found them sitting around the dinner table.

"Afternoon, sir," Janet said, coming to her feet.

"Doctor, good to see you," Hammond responded, waving her off. While he was on good speaking terms with all of his subordinates, General Hammond, as a rule, did not interact with them much off-duty. Command could be lonely, he lamented, but it wasn't appropriate for him to carry on casual relationships with his people. That said, Cassandra and her adoptive mother Janet were an exception. When her homeworld was poisoned by Nirrti, the SGC welcomed her into its family. Janet made the adoption official and welcomed Cassandra into her home. Hammond regarded Cassandra as something akin to an adopted niece, and he was glad when the opportunity presented itself to visit. Even if he didn't consider the Fraisers and extension of his family, though, he certainly wasn't going to let one of his subordinates come to attention in her own house.

"I take it they haven't arrived?" he asked.

"No, sir. Daniel returned to base to pick them up. Apparently," she said, shaking her head and cocking it to one side, "Shepard didn't pass her driver's test." She glanced at Cassandra with a knowing look; she was just learning to drive herself. "The motor pool would not issue her a car." She smirked, "Shepard said it might have something to do with a mako shark or something. I wasn't quite clear on that."

Hammond arched an eyebrow; he didn't know what to make of that either. He heard another knock at the door and Cassandra opened it to see Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter standing on the porch.

Carter made eye contact with him and nodded, "Evening, sir." She hugged Cassandra, a huge smile on her face. Hammond's heart warmed. Major Carter loved the young teenager very much. That had become obvious when they first met when she was willing, almost eager, to die with her at the bottom of a nuclear bunker when the goa'uld Nirrti planted a bomb within her body. He remembered wanting to rage against Carter for disobeying orders, for nearly throwing her life away so flippantly, but he couldn't do it. He was a father and grandfather himself; he knew what it was to love a child. He would have done the same, he thought.

Jack merely snapped off a casual salute to the brim of his baseball cap. Hammond nodded to the Colonel. He watched as Jack hanged up his coat on a hook, it was still early spring and relatively cool, and extract a couple of small boxes and an invoice from the pocket.

"Are those them?" he asked motioning to the box.

"Yes, sir." Jack opened one of the boxes and showed a simple, yet beautiful, platinum wedding band.

Hammond had ground his teeth when Shepard had come to his office and told him she wanted to apologize for lying to him again. He had let the Kinkos thing slide, but he was still _very_ sore about Shepard lying about her biotic capabilities; despite how well that hard worked out for her when the NID had attempted to carve her open. Not to mention he still thought of the circumstances of her escape bordered on murder; though, those feelings had tempered somewhat when she saved the gate room from the Jaffa assault on SG-5. When Shepard explained that she had never _technically_ married Liara, despite calling her her wife, his jaw had unclenched. With the Reaper War there was never enough time, they just didn't get around to it.

She still considered Liara her spouse, though, and wanted the General to be there when she presented her with a token of that commitment. George lamented to himself that they would never be able to officially marry here on Earth. Chief Master Sergeant Harriman, who was apparently an ordained internet minister, had offered to perform a wedding ceremony, but Colorado State law just didn't support a union between a woman and an alien.

"Those are very nice," the General said looking at the rings.

"They should be," Jack responded rather flippantly, "sure cost enough." He handed him the invoice. Hammond's eyes went wide. "I'm thinking of asking her to give me stock advice. She claims she's been supplementing her salary by _day trading_." He accentuated that last point with a substantial set of 'air quotes'.

"She has," Hammond responded. NID was crawling all over Shepard's online activities. For the life of them, however, they couldn't find anything untoward in her financial dealings; _or her lingerie purchases for that matter_. Everything she did was above board and fully disclosed. Try as NID did, they just couldn't prove any insider trading; and none of the data they'd extracted from her omni-tool would suggest she knew the future of the stock market. _They'd probably be playing the market themselves if it did, _Hammond thought wryly. Apparently she was just very astute in making her investments. She and Liara did not want for material comforts, such as they were underneath a mountain. They lived within their means, but those means were not trivial. Thankfully, _Amazon_ and _Ikea_ would ship to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.

* * *

Daniel Jackson worked through the gears on his Subaru. The turbocharger whined and they picked up speed. Shepard had squeezed into the rear seat so that Liara would have a clearer view. She smiled widely; glad to finally be out of The Mountain. She watched the trees whip by, children playing in parks, birds flying overhead.

"So much green!" she said, the joy plain in her voice.

Shepard squeezed her shoulder. "That's exactly what I said first time I was out of The Mountain."

Liara felt free for the first time since arriving here. The trip offworld with Doctor Jackson was refreshing, but it wasn't as lush, verdant, or _alive_ as Earth. She tried to put the memories of the London of the other _place_ out of her mind, or the fate of Thessia in this reality, and to a large extent she was successful. The beautiful early spring afternoon drowned out what few memories she still had of the reconstruction as well.

Shepard squeezed her shoulder, "I love seeing you smile," she said.

"But you cannot see my face with this device," Liara said, smiling coyly, "Perhaps it is Tracy Westerholm's smile you find pleasing?"

"You're the one I find pleasing," Shepard winked.

"You know, I'm sitting right here," Daniel said as he shifted loudly into 4th gear.

"I have seen your thoughts Commander Shepard," Liara responded with a mocking scowl, "I am not the only one who's appearance you find to your liking." She held up her hand and counted off fingers, "There was the Consort Sha'ira, and Sheala on Feros; she reciprocated, by the way. You were also always enamored with Councilor Tevos' spots as well."

"Hey!" Shepard responded is faux-indignation, "When I nailed the Consort I hadn't even met you yet."

Daniel cleared his throat loudly.

Liara continued, "You liked Jack's hair when she grew it out, and I know how Samantha Traynor threw herself at you."

"You also know I turned her away, gently," Shepard responded.

"There were those private dances Kelly Chambers would give you in your stateroom," she smiled. "You were quite fond of Aria's corset," Liara winked, "and her, what did you call them, 'fuck-me boots'?"

"Hey," Shepard said, "you would look amazing in that corset. Also, I didn't kiss her back, even when she shoved her tongue down my throat that one time."

Daniel coughed and cleared his throat again.

Liara continued, "On more than one occasion the Justicar Samara caught you staring at her cleavage," Shepard tried to protest, "And do not get me started on what you thought about my _parents_."

"Well, Aethyta does have a certain raw animal magnetism about her. She was also right about your mother having tits that just don't quit," Shepard paused, "You certainly inherited both those traits."

Daniel downshifted to 3rd, the engine raced loudly.

"Or, more recently," Liara pressed on, "what about Major Carter? I know you were flirting with her rather shamelessly."

"La la la," Daniel said loudly, "I can't hear you."

"Hey, I…" Victoria stammered.

"Your thoughts always return to me, my beloved" Liara said warmly. "I have seen into your heart of hearts, I am the only one for you." She smiled, "Besides, I am rather fond of Major Carter myself; especially how her lips curve up when she is concentrating on something."

"And… We're here!" Daniel said jerking the handbrake up. Liara giggled. He obviously didn't like the subject of their conversation; especially when it turned towards his comrade Samantha.

Shepard climbed out of the back seat and opened the passenger door for her. Liara smiled internally, _she always does these cute little things for me._ She looked into her beloved's eyes and smiled. Shepard was up to something. She made no effort to hide that. She did, however, say it was a surprise, and asked her not to search for it in the bond. Liara would never dream of taking something without permission, but she agreed. _Shepard said it was a _good_ surprise after all, _she thought.

"There's someone I want you to meet," Shepard said as she knocked on the door to a lovely looking house.

A teenage girl opened it, "Victoria!" she smiled. "I'm so glad that you're alright." They hugged. Liara realized that this must be Cassandra Fraiser, and that she had not seen Shepard since the night she was taken by the NID. Liara watched Shepard's face light up as she interacted with the teen. Something stirred within her; _Shepard will be such an amazing parent._

Liara knew she wanted children. She knew she wanted to raise them with Victoria. She knew they would be the best parents any child could hope for. She also knew she wanted to start right away; she had begun her metamorphosis into the Matron stage early for that very reason. She wasn't even 115 yet, most Asari did not enter the Matron stage until they were 400 or so, she was _that_ sure. She knew she had only a limited window of opportunity with Shepard and she wanted to squeeze as many children as possible into it. Being the genesis of a new Asari race hadn't even factored into it initially, but there was that consideration too.

Liara returned to herself to hear Shepard speak. "I want you to meet someone," Shepard said stepping aside and motioning to her, "This is Liara."

Cassandra looked confused. "You're not nearly as blue as I thought you'd be."

Liara smiled, "No, I suppose I am not."

"Let's step inside," Shepard said, "and maybe we can change that."

* * *

Shepard, Daniel, and Liara entered Doctor Fraiser's home. Janet greeted them in the foyer and asked Cassandra to draw the curtains. When Doctor Fraiser had mentioned to Shepard that Cassandra suffered from migraines, and that she had installed blackout curtains for when she became photosensitive, a plan came together. General Hammond was surprisingly amenable, he didn't even seem that angry about her fibbing about being _married_ to Liara when she technically wasn't. He merely asked if he could be there for it. She wouldn't want it any other way.

Shepard took Liara's coat and hung it on a peg near the door. She removed her own field jacket and did the same. Janet noticed the bulge of the FN pistol at the small of her back. "I normally don't like guns in the house," she said softly. Shepard began to apologize, but Fraiser beat her to it, "Though, considering what happened last time you were here, I think I'll give you a break."

"I'll try not to let Cassandra see it," she said pulling her blouse down a bit, "Unless you want me to teach her to shoot. Certainly keep that _boyfriend_ of hers in line, if he's ever less than a _perfect_ gentleman."

Janet smirked, then he face saddened somewhat, "Don't let Jack hear you joking about stuff like that."

Shepard nodded. She still hadn't gotten the full story on that from O'Neill, and she was still disinclined to ask about it. "Of course, Doc." Victoria turned to look at Cassandra closing the last of the curtains. She remembered the last time she saw the teen. The pep talk she gave her before her abduction by those NID assholes still stood out in her memory. She walked over to Liara and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"You really like that girl, yes?" Liara asked.

"Yes," replied Victoria, "She really helped me out last time I was here. I was in a terrible funk, and she knew just what to say to get me out of it."

"That is why you brought me here?" she asked. "To meet her?"

"That's one of the reasons," Shepard replied with a wink. "I also have a surprise."

"And what might that be?" Liara asked.

Shepard smiled, "First thing's first," she said. "Cassandra, I'd like to _re_introduce to you to, Doctor Liara T'soni." With that she deactivated the mimetic imaging device, and Liara returned to her normal appearance with a shimmer.

Cassandra's jaw dropped, Shepard actually giggled. "Wow, your photo doesn't do you justice," Cassandra said.

"Victoria was sharing photos of me now?" Liara asked with a wry expression. "So much for secrecy."

Shepard shrugged, "What can I say? You are my kryptonite." Cassandra chuckled, Liara didn't get the reference.

Doctor Fraiser approached, "Not that I need to remind you, Cassandra," she said, "but you can never, _ever,_ tell anyone about this."

"Like I can't tell them I'm not really from Canada?"

"Touché," Janet smiled.

Shepard favored Liara with a peck on the cheek, and said, "I need to ask Jack something. Be right back." She left Liara and Cassandra to chat. They seemed to have hit it off rather well. Liara had never actually had the opportunity to interact with humans who were not adults, and Cassandra had definitely never had the opportunity to interact with an Asari.

She made her way into the kitchen where O'Neill was chatting with General Hammond. "Did you get them?" she asked.

He handed her the two ring boxes and the invoice. She didn't even look at the invoice as she shoved it into one of her pockets. That got a bob of the eyebrows from Jack. Popping one of the boxes open her face lit up with an enormous smile. "Excellent, though I still would have preferred iridium," she said. Much to Jack's surprise she wrapped an arm around him in a hug, "I really appreciate your help with this."

"Of course, Shepard," Jack didn't know what else to say. "So, you're just going to up and pop the question?"

Shepard smiled. She hadn't really thought about it that hard. Calling it a _question_ wasn't really accurate, there was no doubt in her mind that Liara would say yes. _Actually,_ Shepard caught herself, _she might say _no_ because she already considered this a settled issue. But that's different._ "Something like that," she decided to say. She turned to General Hammond, "Thanks for being here, sir. Also, thanks for understanding. I felt a bit deceptive, what with the semantics."

"That's fine, Commander," Hammond said evenly. "I'm glad I could be here for you."

Shepard smiled, "Then let's do this." Victoria centered herself and walked out of the kitchen and towards Liara and Cassandra. She cast a knowing look to Fraiser and Carter and they fell silent and smiled. Liara felt everyone's demeanor change and observed Shepard. She smiled, knowingly. _Of course she would figure it out,_ Shepard thought, _she's _way_ smarter than I'll ever be._

She needed to say something; something epic, something _uplifting_, something they could tell _all those little blue children_ about some day. Try as she did, though, nothing came to mind. Shepard's feelings towards Liara were just those, feelings; hard to verbalize. Then she realized that she didn't need to, not for Liara. The moment they joined she would know. She always knew.

Saying it aloud, though, somehow made it more real, and it certainly was the only way the others would know what was happening. _But what to say? _She remembered her N7 training, _improvise, adapt, overcome!_ She smiled, she would wing it, _banzai!_

"Liara T'soni," Shepard said hiking up her skirt and lowering herself to one knee. Her knee popped loudly and she winced, _damn _Cerberus_ cartilage_. "I think you know what I'm about to say, but I feel it strongly enough to say it aloud." Liara smiled. _Here goes!_

"For the past several years, our lives have been one horrifying experience after another. I've never experienced as much fear and uncertainty in all my life, including Elysium, than I did fighting the Reapers. But, through it all, there has been one constant that gave me strength enough to not only survive but to prevail.

"You gave me that strength, Liara. You gave me a reason to keep fighting. You gave me hope when I felt only hopelessness. You gave me joy from joylessness. You gave me a second chance at life, literally," a tear appeared at the corner of her eye. "I've known I wanted this since the day I met you on Therum. And I'm pretty sure you feel the same way," she winked and Liara smirked.

"Liara T'soni," she said reaching into a pocket on her skirt, "be my wife. Embrace eternity with me," she said with a wink. She removed the wedding band from the small felt box and slipped it onto Liara's finger. It fit perfectly; Shepard's omni-tool had made a good measurement after all.

In retrospect, if Shepard had it all to do over again, she would have kept the speech more positive, but Liara didn't seem to care. She simply smiled and said, "Of course, Shepard. Was there ever any doubt?" Shepard handed Liara the other ring and she placed it on the woman's finger. They kissed and, to their surprise, everyone burst into applause. _I'd almost forgotten they were here,_ Shepard thought to herself.

Shepard was bliss.

* * *

"I was not delirious!" Liara said with mock indignation. "I was merely confused." Liara was absolutely glowing with joy, she hadn't been this happy since she opened her eyes in the gate room those several months ago to see her Victoria and know that the gestalt had kept its promise; delivered on its vow. Now she found herself sitting with the members of SG-1, General Hammond, Doctor Fraiser, Cassandra Fraiser, and her _wife_ sharing a delicious dinner and telling stories of times past.

_Goddess! My _wife! thought Liara with joyful realization. Of course there had been no ceremony, no laying of hands, no singing with friends, no commitment bracelets; but they were wed, regardless. Despite the rings, there hadn't been a human ceremony either. But Liara was okay with that. It was the thought that counted, and they had friends, _new friends_, to share the moment with. She smiled and looked at Shepard.

"Whatever you say, Liara," Shepard chided. "Just like you _intended_ to lock yourself in that security bubble?"

"How else would I be saved by you?" Liara said with a wink.

"Nice one, Doctor Münchausen," Jack quipped.

_That's an odd human word,_ Liara thought. She turned to ask Shepard what it meant and she beat her to it, "Ask me later," she said shooting Jack a look.

"So, that's how you met?" Cassandra asked. "That sounds dramatic."

"And not at all romantic," Doctor Fraiser chimed in.

"You had to be there," Shepard quipped. Liara merely smiled. _It was dramatic, but it was also romantic in a way. Shepard coming to the rescue, as she always does._

Liara watched Shepard return her attention to her meal; something called Portobello steak. In general Shepard tried avoid meat in her meals, especially 'steak'. It conjured too many vivid horrific memories. Liara wondered why this was different. Either way, it was delicious.

Liara looked at Major Carter, "You cannot tell me that SG-1 has not had its fair share of dramatic rescues."

Major Carter took a deep breath and puffed out her cheeks, "Oh, I think you could say we've had more than our fair share. That's for sure." Teal'c merely arched an eyebrow.

"How about you, Victoria?" she asked innocently.

_Uh-oh,_ Liara thought as she observed the most transient of twitches from her mate. Her eyes flashed to Colonel O'Neill. He saw it too. Neither Liara nor Shepard believed in sugar coating or denying their past experiences, despite the sometimes painful memories. At the same time, though, they didn't usually just bring them up in conversation. Liara knew how much pain Shepard carried from her war experiences. She knew how hard she tried not to show her sadness to others. She always made sure to knock the surveillance camera in their room out of position before quietly whimpering herself to sleep. Sometimes not so quietly, face pressed between her breasts as she sobbed. But she also knew that Cassandra was just a child, and she didn't need to know such things. _Right?_

Victoria finished chewing, swallowed, placed her utensils on the table, and folded her hands in her lap. She looked at Cassandra with a smile which betrayed none of her inner-anguish and said, "Vermire was a tough scrape. Though, I already told you about how that one ended," her tone flattened ever so slightly at the end of that sentence. She paused, and then continued, "Though, I think Joker pulling me out of the Bahak system before I blew it up would probably take the cake for epic rescues."

The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Everyone, with the exception of Cassandra, knew about the Alpha Relay Incident and what Shepard forced herself to do at Bahak. They all knew, though not as intimately as Liara did, how much pain that decision caused her. So they were all surprised when Victoria smiled warmly at the teenager and continued, "It's my sincere hope, Cassandra, that you live a long and peaceful life where you need never worry about things like that. Your mom, the men and women of the SGC, Liara, and I all work very hard, every day, to make sure that's the case. We all love you that much." She winked, "So next time Janet grounds you for something, cut her some slack. She's only doing it because she cares."

_Goddess, Shepard,_ Liara thought, _you never cease to amaze me._ Watching Shepard interact with Cassandra, she could feel that _something_ stirring within her soul. She wasn't yet sure what that feeling was, but she was experiencing it more and more lately.

"Thank you for saying that," Doctor Fraiser said. She looked at Cassandra, "See? I only ground you because I care. I must care for you a whole lot," she said poking her daughter playfully in the ribs.

Shepard smiled. Liara glanced down at her mate's left hand that she held beneath the table. She clutched a bunch of her skirt in her fist, her knuckles white with the pressure of her grip. Liara's eyes went wide.

* * *

The rest of the dinner went smoothly. The group shared stories of happier times past, drank wine, and laughed; Liara even played a melancholy song on the piano much to everyone except Shepard's surprise. After the meal was done Janet served coffee and dessert. Liara's eyes went wide when she was presented with a piece of blueberry pie a la mode. _Goddess! What _is_ this made of?_

"Trust me, Liara," Shepard said, "you'll love it."

"Yeah, it's Shepard's favorite, she's insatiable," opined Jack with a wicked grin on his face.

General Hammond gagged and coffee dribbled from his nose before he could wipe it away and conceal his smile. Shepard turned bright crimson, and Jackson and Carter chuckled despite themselves. Teal'c regarded his own piece of pie for a moment, looked at Liara, and arched an eyebrow.

_Not even Joker was this bad,_ Liara thought to herself.

All laughing aside, the time finally came for them to part ways for the evening. They made their farewells and Liara, Shepard, and Daniel made their way towards the door. Doctor Jackson had agreed to be their chauffer this evening, on the condition that Shepard earn her driver's license at the earliest possible moment.

Liara hugged Cassandra goodbye and whispered in her ear, "Thank you for being there for Shepard before she was taken. It helped her immeasurably. I am very grateful."

Cassandra smiled, "No problem. I'm happy I finally got to meet you. Will we see you again?"

"Oh, I imagine so," said Doctor Fraiser. She turned to watch Cassandra walk back towards the kitchen, "Oh, Shepard."

Victoria lookup from offering Liara her coat, "Yes, Doctor?"

"Thanks for what you said to Cassie," she paused, "and what you didn't."

Shepard nodded. "Sure Doc, no problem." Victoria placed her hands in her pocket and her eyes went wide, "Oh! I almost forgot." She discreetly pressed two small reddish stones into Janet's hands. She leaned in close and whispered into her ear, "For you and Cassie. I pocketed them on Mars."

Struck speechless, Doctor Fraiser could only watch as Shepard kissed her wife and reactivated the camouflage device. "After you my love," she smiled and motioned to the door.

Liara smiled, and blushed beneath Tracy Westerholm's face.

* * *

They rode the elevator down to the SGC in silence, Shepard's arm wrapped lovingly around Liara's shoulder. They decided to spare Tracy any scandal, and deactivated the mimetic imaging device the moment they entered the elevator to the SGC. Liara looked down at her delicate blue hand. The platinum wedding band contrasted beautifully with her skin.

She had always considered herself Shepard's bondmate, _wife_, ever since the night before they dropped on Ilos. It was her first time with Shepard, her first time _period_, but she was sure. Shepard liked to joke that the bond took all of the guesswork out of dating, but she was right. Not only was she sure that first night, but she knew Shepard was just as certain. Alas, they had been overtaken by events.

War, war crimes, two years of death, resurrection, suicide missions, atrocities, incarceration, more war, more atrocities; the universe, it seemed, did not want to give Liara time with her beloved. It took a nearly incomprehensible fit of _space magic_ to bring her here and back together with her mate; after a fashion, but she tried not to think about the whole doppelgänger thing. She would never complain, she had what she wanted, but it certainly gave her an _appreciation_ for what she had.

Shepard leaned over and kissed one of her blue scalp folds. Liara smiled, she was mildly ticklish on her scalp. Shepard was so tender, so loving. Liara leaned her head into the crook of Shepard's collar and sighed with joy. She looked at the ring again, she was so in love. Shepard had made the evening perfect. An escape from the mountain, a lovely evening with friends, the romantic gesture of the rings, _I'm glad I didn't _peek_ at the secret last time we joined_; it was all so perfect, and _peaceful_. Even with the goa'uld threat, this place was whole and undamaged compared to where she had come from. Then there was Cassandra. Liara recalled Victoria's interactions with teenager, her heart warmed. _Victoria was good with kids, no doubt about it._ That _something_ stirred within her once more.

Shepard squeezed her and broke her introspection. She looked down with a smile, Liara's heart fluttered. The elevator door opened and they began walking towards their quarters. Liara dredged her memory from the other _place_. She could only remember fragments, but she knew she loved her baby. She knew she wanted more, lots more. She wanted what Victoria offered her, to be the new Athame of this world; mother of a new Asari race. She wanted those children badly, she wanted them with Victoria, and she wanted them _now_.

Shepard opened the door to their quarters and held it open for her. No sooner had the door clicked shut did Liara pivot quickly and, with a flash of biotics, propel Shepard to their bed. Victoria landed with a loud grunt. She looked back at her with surprise upon her face. Pausing only long enough to click the lock on the door, Liara closed the distance to her beloved in a biotic storm and straddled her aggressively.

Victoria was too stunned to react while Liara gathered her collar in a bunch in her fist and pulled her lips to meet hers. Liara kissed Shepard deeply, she pinched her waist between her thighs, she inhaled her scent. Liara stopped and looked into the eyes of a completely astonished Commander Shepard, "Babies, _now!_" There was no doubt in her voice, nor was there any in her heart. She wanted children. She wanted them by Victoria. She wanted them now!

"I thought we were going to wait," Shepard stammered. Liara was so intent on her objective she didn't notice how surprised and flustered Victoria actually was.

"I do not want to wait," she replied earnestly. "I am not afraid of the NID, or the SGC, or the Air Force, or _anyone_ on this world. If they try to hurt our family I will _destroy_ them. I am not afraid of the goa'uld, nor any of the other enemies the SGC has made. We bested the Reapers; we can beat anything this universe throws at us. I am not willing to let fear of something that _might_ happen to us or our children prevent me having them when I know we _will_ love them.

"You're certain?" Shepard asked as her face hardened in resolve.

"More certain that I have ever been before. I want to be the Athame of this world. I want to be the mother of a new Asari race. Do you love me?"

"Utterly and completely. I love you more than life itself. I am yours." Liara smiled, their current situation was certainly testament to that.

Liara smiled. She kissed Shepard again, more gently this time. A rich biotic glow enveloped them both, flickering wisps of static electricity arced from the metal bed frame to the floor and walls. "Embrace eternity."

* * *

Liara dove deeper into Shepard than she ever had since that moment in London. She traveled down the paths of Victoria's genetic memory, mapping out her beloved's DNA the way countless generations of her people had done before her. She could feel her strength, stretching back untold millennia to when the first primitive hominids had left their caves to claim the Earth for their descendants. She sensed the independent streak and the thirst for adventure that ran in Shepard's blood; she was not the first Shepard to be drawn to space. It felt wonderful.

She could sense Shepard's essence, that unique spark that made Victoria the woman she loved and the hero of the galaxy. She basked in that sensation, treasuring what she had won for herself in a mate. _This is it! This is what I'll use_, Liara thought to herself. She took Shepard's core, Shepard's soul, unto herself. She explored each and every nuance, unfolding it in all of its glory, as she began the task of randomizing half of her genetic material.

Nervous systems fully attuned, the basis for her daughter identified, the process itself didn't take that long; perhaps a few seconds. But, once complete, the effects were profound. Providing the newly formed embryo implanted in her womb properly, and there were no unforeseen complications, she would be a mother again in just over ten months. _Then we can get started on all of your little sisters._

Soon there would be a new Asari race in this galaxy; Liara would be its matriarch and Shepard its _patriarch_ after a fashion. Liara opened her eyes and looked into Shepard's. Tears streamed down her pale freckled face, green eyes shimmered with the welling tears. Shepard was joy; pure, unspoiled, joy.

"I love you Victoria Shepard," Liara said with a smile, gently undressing her wife. Family matters concluded for now, Liara still wanted intimacy with her wife.

"And I you, Liara T'soni. Forever and always."

She let her wife undress her, and then she undressed Liara. They made love and joined for several hours.

* * *

The surveillance camera, which they forgot to knock out of position as they usually did, observed the proceedings. The red LED light blinked silently as it recorded.


	31. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**:

"Chevron three encoded," Chief Master Sergeant Harriman's voice boomed over the gate-room loudspeaker.

Commander Shepard looked up at the bespectacled man through the control room window, and then to her wife; her _wife_! She beamed her blue smile back at her, she was so excited. "Big day; ready?"

"Shepard," she said with a haughty cock of her head, "this is not the first archeological dig I have ever been on. I have been doing this since before you were born."

"And look where that got you," Shepard replied with a wink.

"You mean transported to another universe with the woman I love? I could do worse."

"Yes, I suppose we could," Shepard smiled. "You have all of your stuff?" She pointed to a rolling bin stacked high with gear and supplies. Liara would use her biotics to push it through the Stargate and to the SGC science encampment on the other side.

"I think there might be some room left for a sink," she smiled, "that is the correct expression?"

Shepard chuckled. "I meant the FN," she said, suddenly serious. Liara cocked her head and pouted. "It's just about as accurate as your Carnifex, but it doesn't have nearly the stopping power; aim for the head."

"You certainly have a way of talking to a woman," Liara said with no small annoyance. Then she placed her hand on the holster at her hip. She nodded.

"I just want you two to be safe," Shepard said. Shepard reached for Liara's abdomen but stopped herself. _Not in public._

"I will not know if the pregnancy is stable for another week or so. But, _we_ will be careful."

"I know you will."

"Chevron seven, locked!" Walter's voice boomed. _I completely tuned that out_, thought Shepard.

The Stargate opened with all of its usual brilliance and Shepard kissed Liara on her cheek. "Have a good day at the office. See you in a week."

"SG-8," Walter's voice called out, "You have a _go_."

The personnel of SG-8, which included Daniel Jackson for this mission, until now waiting quietly at a polite distance, started shuffling towards the event horizon. Liara enveloped the rolling bin in a mass effect field and pushed it effortlessly through the gate.

She walked up the ramp, turned back to Shepard, smiled, and said, "See you in a week, Mrs. T'soni." She smirked and, before Shepard could get a word in edgewise, stepped through the gate.

* * *

Shepard shook her head with a smile as the Stargate disengaged. Then she turned to look up at the control room and nodded to Walter. "Ready when you are," she said. He wiped a smirk off of his face and began the dialing sequence. Victoria ran the mission details over in her mind; it was all fairly straight forward, _even that little side project for Carter_. She looked over at the cargo rover she would be taking through the gate; it was loaded with all sorts of technology for Sam's science project.

Honestly, _that_ was the only aspect of this mission that actually required her presence offworld, the rest of this trip could have easily been done from here at the SGC; _or at the dig site by Liara's side_, Shepard added for herself. She suspected, though, there were more than _technical_ reasons for getting her out of the mountain. Hammond hadn't said anything directly, but someone was sowing discontent amongst the personnel of the SGC, and Shepard suspected who.

It had started innocently enough; odd looks, whispers, stomping out of the mess hall in a childish huff. Shepard couldn't blame them, or, at the very least, she could explain it away as normal reactions to seeing a human/Asari pair-bond for the first time. _Who doesn't react oddly when confronted with something new, after all?_ The innocent morphed into the surprisingly childish; shaving cream in her locker, her bootlaces undone when she came back from the shower after a workout, the DVDs she'd purchased for the rec-room online scratched beyond use.

Then things had taken a turn for the slightly more sinister. Shepard had opened her equipment locker one day to find her combat knife's blade filed completely flat and utterly useless. Victoria especially abhorred tampering with other people's equipment. Granted, she didn't really need the knife. She could quite literally flense a person with a flick of her wrist using her omni-blade; but that wasn't the point. In the field you lived or died by your gear; something driven home for every Alliance Marine in the horrific explosive decompression drill they all affectionately called the 'eye popper'.

Up until then no one had directly assaulted her or her beloved, so Shepard was only mildly bothered. This behavior was potentially dangerous if left unchecked, but it was relatively harmless in and of itself. Then Liara had a shelf near the back of one of the SGC's plethora of storage rooms topple over onto her while she was researching for her upcoming dig. Her biotics made quick work of it, she even managed to prevent damage to any of the fragile artifacts, but that was the last straw. Victoria went absolutely ape-shit over the 'accident', and all but demanded the perpetrator's head on a pike; _she wanted him/her intact so _she_ could put their head on it personally._ Unfortunately, somehow, there was no video record of that storage room or the adjacent corridor for the 18 hours leading up to the incident. Some 'technical glitch' had befallen the base's surveillance system.

Nothing had led back to the good Senator, of course. Nothing ever would, of that Shepard was sure. But she could feel it in her heavily-augmented bones that he was behind it. If he couldn't have her dead and dissected on a slab, it would seem that he would try to make her and her wife's life as miserable as possible. _And if one of them died in an _accident_, then they would have no choice but to dissect them_; for science. Victoria entertained herself for a moment with the image of what she might do to him if she ever caught him in a dark alley alone at night. _Fucking bigot, I will _destroy_ you! Or so Jack would have said._ Colonel O'Neill had commented on how glad he was that the SGC's atomic arsenal was under such tight lock and key and robust permissive-action-links. He feared that Shepard might, quite literally, 'go nuclear' over this. That was, fortunately, hyperbole; _but only slightly_.

There had been one unexpected and charming exception to that trend, however. The base's Catholic chaplain, a bespectacled Jesuit who seemed to be even more upset about the mistreatment that was befalling them than _she_ was, had befriended Liara and her, and they had enjoyed many a dinner conversation in their quarters in the SGC. Apparently he was fascinated by the parallels between the Holy Trinity, the Asari's life-stages, and the three aspects of the goddess Athame. He also shared similar tastes in literature as her, so they had something to talk about too, _plus he used his priest-credentials to bring wine to their dinners_. Victoria was seriously considering an offer to join the base choir at his invitation, too.

The engagement of the Stargate ended Shepard's introspection. _Time to work,_ she was already counting the days until she would see Liara again. Victoria enveloped the cargo rover in a biotic field and pushed it through the event horizon ahead of her. She turned to look at Walter, "See you later, Walter. Leave the porch light on for us." He nodded and she stepped through the gate.

* * *

_That senile old fool!_ Ba'al seethed.

He looked at the image transmitting from one of his ha'tak; the alluring blue woman had just exited the gate and was pushing a large cash of supplies about using some sort of ethereal blue glow.

"Low-energy event, m'lord," the disgusting Nerus said consulting a small instrument in his chubby hands. "I would posit that the tall human woman has exited the other target gate."

His quarry was in position; all he need do was spring the trap. But he couldn't, _not yet_.

Two ha'tak and their attendant al'kesh and embarked death gliders would have been _more_ than enough to subdue a hundred, let alone a dozen of the tau'ri; but no! Lord Yu had chosen that very moment to launch an attack on his domain, pulling one of his mother ships out of position. The stealth tel'tak was no longer available either. Relieved by the ha'tak, low on consumables, it had begun its journey back to its home base. It would never be able to turn around in time to even offer surveillance until the mothership's return. Ba'al silently raged at himself for allowing the ship to be relieved, _those Jaffa should have stayed there until they were out of air!_ If he couldn't launch simultaneous attacks on both locations, he would bide his time until he could. He didn't want to risk warning getting out.

_Damn that ancient has-been!_

Ba'al steepled his fingers and rested his chin upon them. He refused to allow his underling to see him upset. The distraction with Lord Yu's ships was over. Thankfully, it had only been what the tau'ri would have called a 'hit-and-run attack'. His ha'tak would be back into position soon enough, and he was a patient goa'uld. It was just that he would have _preferred_ instant gratification. He would have also _preferred_ to keep an eye on what the tall human was up to. _Not that it will matter_, he told himself. _Nothing that tall _woman_ can do will save her from her fate._

* * *

Victoria Shepard stepped out of the Stargate and looked around. The scenery was just as quiet and idyllic as when she last visited. _At least before I blew up that snake_, she added for herself with a sigh. She didn't see the welcoming committee she was promised, though. Instinct took over and she dropped to a knee behind the rover and brought her P90 up to her shoulder. Once again she was using _vintage_ equipment; her biotics and omni-tool were the only items she had from the other _place_ for this mission. _I swear, if Doctor Lee breaks my stuff, I'll kill him._

Shepard noticed no signs of battle, no bodies, no craters, no splintered trees, no burnt grass; nothing to explain why Major Harper wasn't here to greet her like he was supposed to. Then she noticed a shrub that wasn't there last time she visited and smiled. "Nicely done Major," she said loudly enough to be heard, but got no response. Her smile widened further. Harper was playing it by the book. "Bull dog!" she shouted the challenge.

"Chesty!" she heard the reply, but from a different shrub than she expected. The Marine appeared from a concealed firing position with a modest grin on his face. "Howdy, ma'am."

"Major," Shepard nodded, "looks like you've been busy."

He walked up to her as he slung his M4 carbine, complete with under-barrel M203 grenade launcher, over his shoulder, "Started digging shortly after you left last time, Commander. Didn't much care for you sneaking up on us like you did."

"Wait, I thought you had this area salted with sensors." She looked around. Here and there she could see the odd, very well hidden, plastic module sticking up out of the ground.

"They were concentrated further in towards the base, and don't always work, Commander," he replied. "Now I've got eyes on the gate and a buried hardline for communications back to the main camp. We've even got claymores set up on command line. We can blow them from camp."

"_Very_ busy." Victoria smiled. She always enjoyed working with professionals.

"Like I said, I didn't like being surprised." Major Harper smiled. Shepard arched an eyebrow, she had never seen this much emotion out of the Marine before; definitely not this much positive emotion at any rate. Granted, Corporal Jones' prognosis had just been improved noticeably, and he had been released from the burn ward, so that must have been a relief for his former commander, but Victoria wondered if there was something else at play as well.

"Well," Victoria said slinging her P90, "I come bearing gifts." She pointed to the cargo rover. "Compliments of Major Carter and the engineering unit, plus a couple of surprises," she smiled. Not that she expected any shenanigans offworld, but Shepard had packed a few goodies for this site's personnel as a way of saying hello. "Shall we?"

"Follow me, Commander," Major Harper said. Shepard enveloped the rover in a mass effect field and effortlessly pushed it towards the camp.

* * *

After a quick pit-stop at the mess-tent dropping off mail and the evening's dinner, Chinese take-out from _City Wok_ in Colorado Springs, the cargo rover rolled to a halt in one of the corrugated metal hanger structures at the offworld airbase. Shepard looked over at one of the 'Predator' drone aircraft as the biotic field enveloping the rover dissipated with a faint _pfft_. _Shit, it's the fucking dark ages here_, she thought.

Harper helped Shepard pull the plastic tarp off of a large plastic case absolutely covered with SGC stencils; variations on _fragile_ and _do not drop_. The Major eyed it inquisitively. "Smaller than I would have thought."

"Yes. Doctor Lee managed to build it employing some of the same diamond compound as in the thermal clips in my weapons; quite a bit more thermal protection for a given volume. Plus it's pretty robust, so the box needed less padding. The unit itself is a bit bigger than you would think to look at the case." Major Harper nodded approvingly.

To use a local colloquialism, Shepard's _spidy-senses_ were tingling. Major Harper wasn't quite acting _warmly_ towards her, but that cold detachment she'd sensed from him every time she'd met him previously seemed to have been noticeably dialed back. She was wondering if she should just come out and ask him what changed, or wait until she rotated home and ask Liara to look into it when she caught a whiff of Chinese food.

"What's in the box?" a new voice from behind Shepard.

Victoria glanced at Major Harper who rolled his eyes, then she turned to see a member of the science staff with wire-rimmed glasses, slicked-back hair tied in a ponytail, and an annoyed expression on his face. He held one of the takeout containers and a pair of disposable chopsticks in his hands. _This must be the guy Sam warned me about_, Victoria thought. "Doctor Kavanagh, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Commander Shepard." Shepard plastered her most charming smile on her face and held out her hand.

To his credit Peter Kavanagh's body language became _slightly_ less cocky and he accepted her hand. "Commander," he said. "What's in the box?" he asked in a _moderately_ less annoyed tone.

Harper's eyes narrowed. "That better not be all of the beef and broccoli, Doctor," Kavanagh recoiled visibly.

Victoria instantly evaluated this scientist as not worth the effort that it would require to crush his spine. Carter, and to a lesser extent Doctor Lee, had both told her that Pete Kavanagh was the type of colleague that you only tolerated because he was competent enough to do his job and had the required security clearance to do it in the first place. Both of which in combination were pretty rare commodities when you got down to it. The man had almost zero in the way of 'people skills', so no one complained when he had been assigned for extended offworld research positions. If someone could figure out a way to ship him to another _galaxy_ they'd jump at it.

"This," Shepard patted the case gently, "is one of your surveillance satellites, Doctor Kavanagh," Shepard said amicably, _you should know this already,_ "we'll be putting it into orbit tomorrow morning."

Kavanagh huffed, just like Carter said he would, "That's impossible. We don't have the 302's we need to deploy satellites."

"I know," Shepard said with a smile. "That's why _I'm_ here."

"I don't see how that's going to help," he said as he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

_God, this guy is such a douche bag I've only known him for 45 seconds and I can just _tell_ he belongs in the DB-file,_ was all that Shepard could think. "The briefing materials are in the crate, Doctor," Victoria said with a mild edge to her voice. She pointed to another similarly marked crate, "You'll recall another delivery came through a few days ago. One of those crates contains the booster motor off of an old ASM-135 anti-satellite missile. You're a PhD, you can make the necessary deductive leap." Victoria turned to look at Harper, "You know, it's _amazing_ what was just lying around on the shelves after that Cold War of yours ended. It's plain crazy."

Harper shrugged, then he stepped forward and looked Kavanagh in the eyes, "The guidance/propulsion unit needs to be integrated with the satellite, heat shield, and aerodynamic shroud before launch, Doctor," he reached out and grabbed the food carton. Obviously agitated to see that it was empty, the Major continued, "Instructions are in the case, lots of pictures, think _Ikea;_ might even use an Allen-key or two_. _Our launch window opens at dawn, get it done."

The two officers walked out of the hangar as Kavanagh grumbled to himself. "Is that guy half the asshole I think he is?" asked Shepard.

"Don't even get me started." Major Harper smirked.

"I brought three quarts of beef and broccoli, by the way."

"Oh, that's a relief."

* * *

Their next stop was the command hut. Aside from the corrugated metal walls, the interior actually looked quite similar to the SGC, if a little bit smaller. "We've been reinforced. Now I've got a Marine squad with the heavy weapons you shipped in in addition to SG-5 on-planet, plus some specialty headquarters-type personnel; those folks will work out of here. We've got all of our remote sensors tied into this building, as well as flight ops when we finally get our fighters emplaced," Harper said. "We've also got the fail safe system installed over here," he pointed to a computer console with a key-secured terminal.

"What are you wired to?" Victoria asked looking at the setup, it reminded her of the self-destruct terminal they had in the SGC back on Earth.

"1.1 kiloton device under the floor," he replied, "used to be an atomic artillery shell. Another item we had _lying on a shelf_ after the Cold War ended, to borrow a phrase. It's under enough earth that it can't be dug out before the timer would go off, but it's still enough to crater this whole installation. Probably start a serious forest fire unless it's raining heavily too."

Shepard nodded, "Arming sequence?"

"Two-man rule," Harper responded, "I have a key, as well as the next two highest ranking permanently assigned officers on-post. You don't get a key, ma'am, since you're only here temporarily. Once it's armed it's on a 6 hour dead-man failsafe, if we don't set the timer for something shorter. Advancing the timer can be done by the base commander alone or the next two officers in concert. One of us has to input our code every six hours or the bomb goes off. That's about how long it would take to dig the damn thing out, best we can figure. It can't be _fully_ disarmed unless we get a disarm code from the SGC."

"Not to argue with you, Major," Shepard replied, "but that's fail-deadly, not failsafe." Harper arched an eyebrow in response. "Sorry, that phrase has always been a pet peeve of mine." She looked at the Major and shrugged. "Still, I like it. It would certainly be a nasty surprise for any Jaffa who want to steal your airbase. Or, at least, toss it thoroughly for intel after wiping you guys out."

"Yes, ma'am. I can show you to the bunks if you like ma'am, sun will be down soon."

"Lead on, Major."

They walked across camp towards a row of large tents. They weren't quite the pre-fab units of her time but Victoria was impressed by the level of sophistication that even this _austere_ post enjoyed. _Shit, is that _air_-conditioning? _Victoria was also _still_ somewhat taken aback by Major Harper's behavior. This wasn't the cold, aloof officer she had met several times around the SGC; he seemed animated and almost _warm._ _What is this guy's deal?_ She had to know, was it the whole Jones thing? "I'm glad Jones is feeling better." Harper stiffened momentarily. Shepard's eyebrow jumped. "I'm sorry for…"

"Forget about it," Harper said curtly. "I'll show you to your bunk. Like I said, it's almost sundown, and we're on the equator; it gets dark here _very_ quickly." Victoria followed where she was led, mulling over what she had just learned. Harper was obviously very sore about what had happened to SG-5, especially so when it came to Corporal Jones. "I've put you in the female tent. You happen to be the only military woman on-planet at the moment, the rest of your bunkmates are scientists." Harper pointed to one of the tents. "That's the latrine," he pointed to another, "and the shower," another still. "You've already seen the mess tent and the hangar. There is a shelter between the command post and the mess tent; glorified pillbox, really. Fighting positions are littered about the perimeter. First briefing is at 0400, see you then."

With that he turned to walk back towards the mess tent, presumably to try to get some take-out before it was all gone. He stopped short, "Oh. So you know. I'm glad Doctor T'soni is ok." He paused, then continued, "And you don't need to worry. There won't be any of those pranks here." He smirked and turned away.

_What _is_ his deal?_

Shepard opened the door, _this tent had an actual door,_ and entered her bunk. The lighting was low, and one of the science staff was lounging in her bed reading a paperback novel. She waved hello. Shepard didn't know her, but she waved back nonetheless. Victoria recognized her bunk immediately; someone had draped a makeshift flag over it depicting a rattlesnake exploding under a blue lightning bolt. She chuckled and kicked her boots off. Laying down on her bunk she pulled a photograph of Liara out of her pocket and looked at it. She sighed and smiled, _one week, see you soon._

* * *

Nearly two thousand light years away Liara T'soni kicked her boots and socks off and crawled into her tent; it wasn't nearly as advanced as Shepard's, but she didn't mind. Considering some of the planets she had visited, having a tent to sleep in at all was saying something. Not needing to worry about varren was a bonus. She was almost too excited to sleep, they would be opening up the main chamber in the morning, but she knew better. Fatigue could make you miss things on a dig, and that was unacceptable. Liara's excitement was tempered somewhat, though. She missed Shepard already. _See you in a week, beloved,_ she thought as she curled up into her sleeping bag. Then she ran her hands gently over her abdomen, _good night little one._

* * *

_She paints her toe nails?_ Ba'al found himself increasingly fascinated by the blue creature he saw through the long range communications device. The blue woman disappeared into her tent and Ba'al deactivated the video. This went beyond his desire to edge out the other System Lords, to find a strategic advantage over them through her. She was so _alluring_. _He had to _have_ her. _He steepled his fingers and rested his chin upon them in thought. Preparations here were nearly complete; just one last detail which he would attend to presently. Then all that was left was to capture them.

He turned to his First Prime. "How long before my ha'tak is in position above the tall woman?"

"Less than a day my Lord."

"Excellent."

Ba'al leaned back in his throne and pondered the situation. For millennia the struggle amongst the goa'uld System Lords was a trying, if predictable, grind. His Jaffa would take territory from his rivals, some of his territories would be taken back, alliances would form and be broken, the resolve of the Asgard and their 'Protected Planets Treaty' would be tested, it was all very routine; but now things were different. The tall human woman and the blue beauty had changed the equation. He was certain that they were responsible for the _unknown events_ that the chappai'ai were reporting, and the disastrous new weapon the tau'ri were deploying. The whole strategic balance was shifting. He had to do _something _to maintain his dominance amongst the System Lords!

He was. His forces were moving into position. Soon he'd have ha'tak in place to capture the human and the blue creature, _just as soon as I can take them both at once,_ he thought to himself. But there was also one other gambit he wished to play. Something that might be more useful in the long run than just a new destructive weapon to use against his goa'uld rivals. _It was time_.

"Summon Nirrti," Ba'al commanded.

"Yes m'lord," his First Prime responded.

A few moments later the renegade goa'uld Nirrti was led into the throne room. Head held high in haughty defiance she met his gaze. "Ba'al, what is the meaning of this insult? Release me at once."

Ba'al, despite himself, smiled. Nirrti was roughly _persona non grata_ amongst the goa'uld, yet she still behaved every inch the System Lord. Despite his distaste for her methods and her penchant for treachery, Ba'al could see enjoying this working relationship. After all, she was easily his match in intellect, even if her proficiencies leaned more towards the biological sciences rather than the technical. Still, that wasn't going to stop him from rubbing it in a little. "Watch your tongue Nrrti," else I inform the rest of the System Lords where you've been hiding?" She moved to retort but he cut her off with his deep warbling voice, "Silence! I have use for you, despite your treachery. Perhaps when your work is done you shall go free," he paused, "Without the others learning of where you're headed next." He let that hang there. Nirrti was smart. However irksome she found defacto imprisonment by Ba'al, she preferred it to what some other goa'uld might want for her.

"And what does the great Lord Ba'al wish in return for his most generous hospitality?" she choked out the words. _I will make this cretin pay for this, someday, _her thoughts plain on her face.

Ba'al stood with a grin and strode out of his throne room with a swish of his robes. He motioned Nirrti to follow him with an infuriatingly casual flick of his wrist. Determined not to show weakness, Nirrti didn't move for a few seconds; when she did stride from the room she held her head high and allowed her gown to trail regally behind her. Ba'al's First Prime took up the rear, providing exactly the level of menace his lord demanded from him while maintaining the requisite level of respect any Jaffa should show one of their gods.

* * *

The two goa'uld entered a large chamber at the end of a long corridor. Nirrti immediately recognized it as a biology lab. She also immediately recognized the device taking up the center of the room, but she kept her face as passive as possible. Thousands of years as a System Lord had given her enough practice to maintain her royal aloofness despite the surprise.

"I know you recognize this piece of technology," said Ba'al with an infuriating smile on his face. "You, no doubt, are familiar with its operation?"

Nirrti knew when she was bested, "It is a DNA re-sequencing device. I am aware of their existence," she said trying not to give too much information away. Ba'al's tone implied that he knew she had a similar device in a secret lab hidden way on a distant world. But she didn't need to confirm his suspicions. She looked about the room. The lab setup was impressive. Bio-containment units, energy barriers for containing specimens, a cryogenics unit, the re-sequencing device; with this equipment Nirrti could perform quite a bit of research. Ba'al looked at her expectantly, _he's up to something_. "What is it that you want me to do with this lab?"

"Continue your hok'tar research, of course," he responded with a grin. He held up a hand at her feigned surprise, "Do not act like we don't know what you've been trying to do all of these centuries. I wish to help. So that we may," he paused for dramatic effect, "_both_ reap the benefits of your labors."

Nirrti longed for the day where she could kill this pig. But it did get her thinking. "You have something beyond just this laboratory setup, don't you?"

Ba'al smiled again and stepped towards a computer console. He input a few commands and a hologram appeared in the air above them. "This image was taken by one of my scout ships. We'll be able to capture her soon."

Despite all of the self-control developed over untold centuries, Nirrt's jaw dropped. The image showed a beautiful blue woman with a sweeping scalp dressed in the clothing favored by the tau'ri. She appeared to be waving her arm about as it glowed an eerie orange. The tau'ri Daniel Jackson stood at her side. "What is this?" she barely managed to get past her lips.

"That, my dear Nirrti," Ba'al said with a smug smile on his face, "may be our new hok'tar." He paused, "If you think you're up to it."

They both looked at the hologram and smiled.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Bonus points if you've spotted the references to "Space: Above and Beyond" and "South Park"


	32. Chapter 31

**Author's Note:**

Welcome back everyone, and a happy Labor Day Weekend!

Finally some action in this post, enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 31**:

Shepard bolted awake. Her heart pounded, her lungs clawed for air. She looked around, assessed her surroundings, she was in her bunk in the female tent. She was safe. It was ok. She wiped the cold sweat from her brow. Her breathing slowed, as did her heart rate. It had been Elysium; the last night of the Blitz. She had just set fire to the Batarian field-hospital and she was gunning those fuckers down. _Well, kneecapping them; she nearly _gotten off_ on listening to them howl as they burned to death._ It was funny; she had _enjoyed_ that engagement to no end when it had happened. Now, however, she still struggled with what she had become during the battle. The nightmares had become less frequent, thankfully; well, the nightmares of the _Blitz_ at least. Last night's dreams, however, were particularly vivid. _It must be because Liara isn't here_, she thought. Shepard pondered for a moment if it was merely a subconscious effect on her part, or if her wife was actually actively stabilizing her during her sleep. Perhaps she was joining her in her dreams through the bond? _No, she would tell me if she was. Right?_

Victoria looked at her watch. There was no sense in trying to get back to sleep. She had just enough time to run a few lengths up and down the airfield, shower, and eat before the morning briefing. Then they got to play _missile command_, as Colonel O'Neill had put it. Shepard dressed in her PT gear, a Navy SEAL t-shirt, shorts, and one of those hilarious reflective belts, and laced up her boots. She went through her stretching routine in silence outside of her tent listening to the base around her. She could hear a few diesel generators, but otherwise there was an unearthly calm about the installation. _Well, we're not on Earth, are we?_

Victoria ran the length of the grass strip runway looking at the dark sky. The constellations were different; this world was quite a ways away from the Local Cluster. Still, without any light pollution the stars were brilliant, and she couldn't help but smile at the view. She wished for a moment that she could take Liara here and stargaze with her, perhaps make up their own names for these new constellations. More likely just make love for hours under the twinkling lights. She smiled widely and ran just a little bit faster.

As she was running across the width of the runway she heard a buzzing noise and dove for the ground as one of the Predator drone aircraft came in for a landing nearly striking her. _No pranks my ass._ The drone flared, touched down, ran out, taxied to the hangar, and powered down. Shepard stood, dusted herself off, resumed her run towards the drone, and watched as the hangar door opened up and a few airmen came out to push the aircraft inside. Out of her peripheral field of view a sliver of light formed at the door to the command center and a figure came out and started running to the hanger. Victoria picked up her pace.

Shepard was almost in ass-chewing range when she heard Harper's voice, "What the fuck are you idiots thinking? You almost ran her over!"

"I thought it was one of those squirrel things that lives in the hills," another voice. Shepard slowed her run.

"Wearing a Navy SEAL shirt and reflective belt? Are you fucking retarded? And even if it was a _squirrel_ you could have broken the drone. Who the hell put you up to this?"

"It was an accident, sir."

"I don't think so, you stupid shit! I have repeaters of all of your landing displays in the command center, or did you idiots forget. I saw you aim right for her. Or are you going to tell me you accidentally shut off the autopilot _and_ botched your landing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir." Shepard pulled up to a stop just outside of the hangar.

"Listen to me," Harper said in a frighteningly soft voice, "clear as a fucking bell. I don't care what sort of bullshit people have been pulling against the Commander and her wife back at The Mountain. There will be _none_ of it here. Do you understand me?"

There was a pause.

"What do you see in that dyke anyway?"

Silence.

Shepard moved with purpose.

Suddenly she was between Major Harper and the unruly airman who had apparently tried to run her down with the Predator. He looked like that man who stormed out of the mess hall in a huff when Liara first arrived. Victoria immediately evaluated him as a non-threat without the help of his UAV, but that didn't mean he couldn't ruin Harper's career if his face tried to occupy the same space and time as his fist. Which was exactly where this conversation looked like it was going; Harper was a coiled viper poised to strike, his fist balled and ready. Victoria still couldn't quite figure Harper out, but he seemed pretty keen on kicking these men's asses over her. Too bad she wasn't going to let him.

"Morning fellas," Victoria said amicably. "Great weather for fly'n, huh?"

* * *

With nearly two meters and 80 kilos worth of Shepard between Harper and the drone operators things defused rapidly. Deep down Victoria doubted that they had learned their lesson, but she didn't think they'd cause her any more trouble while she was here. Bullies, after all, were cowards, striking at weakened targets when success was assured by weight of numbers or surprise. If their prey was expecting it, or worse, had _super powers_ that could turn a man inside out, they tended to back off. Victoria was somewhat surprised, though. She had figured part of her offworld assignment was to get her away from the _pranksters_, not drive her into their path. She might need to have a talk with Hammond about how far spread this problem actually was, and if he was aware of it. _Hopefully Liara wasn't stranded offworld with a similar batch of malcontents._

Major Harper ordered the airmen to complete their processing of the drone and to prepare the other for sortie as planned and left the hangar with Commander Shepard. He would undoubtedly file this incident in a report, as would Shepard, but she would be very surprised if it actually amounted to anything. These assholes had a very powerful patron, not that he would admit it.

Sunrise was still an hour off, and the moons weren't up, but Shepard didn't need her enhanced night vision to see how pissed off he was. "Don't sweat it, Major."

"Begging your pardon, ma'am," he snapped. He took a breath, held it, then let it out. "Sorry. Begging your pardon ma'am, but I can't _not sweat it_. Those men nearly killed you. On purpose."

"Better men, _and drones,_ have tried and failed." Harper chuckled. "At least you can laugh about it. There's still hope for you."

"Sorry, ma'am. But it's not acceptable how they've been treating you and the Doctor."

"No Major, but this wasn't your fault. This goes higher than you," she left it at that.

"I don't like that sound of that."

"Nope." Shepard paused. "Major, I don't blame you for that. And I'm sorry for doing whatever it is that I did to upset you in the first place." Victoria watched Harper stiffen slightly, but continued, "I do appreciate you going to bat for me back there, but I'm not going to let you ruin your career over it; no matter how much those assholes deserve to have their teeth kicked in. I'm not going to let any of this get in the way of us doing our job. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Outstanding. I'm going to grab a shower and some chow. I'll see you at the briefing at 0400."

* * *

After the stuff Shepard had already dealt with this morning, the 0400 briefing was a bit of an anticlimax. Major Harper ran down the day's events for the rest of his command staff and the relevant parties in the science unit.

Shortly after dawn a modified reconnaissance satellite would be launched using the booster rocket from a Cold War-era anti-satellite missile. Normally the missile would be carried aloft by an F-15 fighter jet, and wouldn't itself be capable of orbital velocities, but that's where Shepard came in. Major Carter, Doctor Lee, and Commander Shepard had crunched some numbers back at the SGC and they theorized that Victoria could envelop the booster/satellite assembly in a mass effect field that would reduce its mass sufficiently, by approximately a factor of five at launch and for most of the main propellant burn, for the rocket to propel it into orbit about the planet. If this process worked, they could try it on other worlds using some of the other remaining boosters from the ASAT program, or purpose-built new ones. They would no longer be tethered to worlds visited by their own spacecraft for orbital resources.

All of the military personnel were impressed if a bit skeptical, as were most of the science staff. One member of the science team in particular, however, was rather vociferous in his objections. "This isn't going to work," said Peter Kavanagh.

"What makes you say that?" Shepard asked, not really caring what he said in response. They were going to do it, regardless of his objections; and it was _probably_ going to work.

"This thing is going to be accelerating to a healthy fraction of orbital velocity before it can clear the atmosphere; do you have any idea how much heating that will cause?"

"A lot," Shepard responded. "Which is why you installed that new heat shield, or did you forget?"

"Which is made of what? Adamantium?"

"A diamond composite derived from my thermal clips. It's designed for exactly this."

Kavanagh didn't seem deterred. "Well, if it doesn't melt or incandesce, then the gee-forces will tear it apart."

"Why's that, Kavanagh?" Harper chimed in, "Lacking faith in your handiwork?"

"No. It's just that it's a lot of delta-vee for a very short burn-time on the booster. The gee-forces the rocket puts on the satellite are going to be insane."

"The mass effect field will reduce the satellite's mass to zero. Zero mass means zero force; you know, F=_m_a. It'll hold together until after burnout." _This guy didn't need to know the details of how much mass reduction they were _really_ talking about, now did he?_

Kavanagh seemed about to say something else when Harper stepped in. "Doctor, the SGC believes this plan has a high probability of success. If it doesn't work, then we'll just have to wait until the 302's get here. So," he turned to look at Victoria, "I believe the historical phrase is, _let's light this candle_."

* * *

They walked outside to be greeted by the rising sun and a comically phallic-looking missile rig. "Seriously?" was all Shepard could muster.

"What?" asked Kavanagh. "You brought it."

"Yeah, but it was in a box." Shepard shook her head wondering what it was with the military and things that resembled penises, "Whatever, let's do this." She approached the missile and activated her omni-tool. It interfaced with the missile guidance system and the control unit in the command hut.

"This isn't going to work you know," Kavanagh said with a haughty tone of self-assured superiority, "this is crazy, even for Sam Carter."

"It does have a certain air of _space magic_ to it," Shepard replied, "but I find that it's usually best to just shut up and _roll with it_ in times like these. Besides, you wouldn't believe _half_ the shit I pulled off during the war," she shrugged to no one in particular. Victoria was becoming increasingly annoyed with the scientist. She sincerely doubted Kavanagh's concern was over a potential waste of taxpayer money if they blew up a satellite in a failed launch attempt. _No wonder they assigned this asshole to _this_ base._

Shepard spoke into her comm-unit, "Harper, do you hear me?"

"Yes, Commander," Harper responded, "Telemetry reports a good link. We're ready when you are."

"Very well, Major. Here we go." Shepard looked at Kavanagh, "You don't want to be in the shelter for this?"

The doctor crossed his arms over his chest, "Actually, I'd really like to see if this works or not."

"Suit yourself, it's not like the booster is 25 years old or anything." Kavanagh's jaw dropped momentarily in realization. He started backing away, but not quickly enough. Victoria smirked to herself, _your funeral. _Then she remembered the other half of that historical line Harper had quoted, _don't fuck up Shepard._

Victoria summoned her biotic energy and enveloped the missile in a mass effect field. This task required more control than usual; an extended duration of effect at extreme distance was necessary, _and_ she was trying to reduce the mass of something that was starting out at over _1,500_ kilos. She needed the field to hold together long enough for the missile to achieve orbital velocity, _and_ stay uniform enough so that differential forces didn't develop within the missile components and tear it apart. She had no doubt that Liara could have done it, _my girl is _so_ talented_, but she was no _slouch_ either. Satisfied that the field had formed and was stable, Shepard slapped the ignition button on her omni-tool. The Cold War-era ASM-135 booster ignited and the assembly disappeared from its launcher with a deafening sonic boom emanating from its hypersonic exhaust plume. Shepard and Kavanagh were thrown flat on their asses and coughed as the wind was knocked from the lungs. Victoria looked skyward to see an exhaust trail arcing away with a point of light glowing brightly at its tip. _Holy shit, the damn thing works. _

"Go baby go!" she managed to wheeze past her lips.

* * *

Two thousand light years away, the night had passed uneventfully. By a welcomed quirk of staffing, none of the SGC _malcontents_ had been assigned to run security on Daniel and Liara's dig site and, on the whole, the SGC Science Corps had proven itself slightly more laid back on the topic, so there were no problems like Victoria's near-miss with the glorified RC airplane.

Liara, Daniel, and the team had shared a delicious breakfast of fresh fruit that Liara had brought through the gate with her. _Shepard's idea,_ Liara smiled to herself. She had to admit, these _blueberries_ were quite tasty, _once you got past their off-putting color_. But breakfast was over now, and it was time to get to work. Liara was excited. She hadn't had the opportunity to do some real archeology in what the humans would consider to be quite some time. Though, for an Asari, it was really only the blink of an eye.

"You ready?" Daniel asked.

Liara smiled and consulted her omni-tool, "Yes, Daniel." She powered down the device and summoned her biotics. Gently she lifted and pried the cover stone away from the tunnel. Air hissed around its edges as atmospheric pressures equalized. It was over nearly as quickly as it began and Liara gently eased the stone aside and released it. She brought her omni-tool back up and activated the flashlight function. The light played along walls that had not been viewed by human eyes for thousands of years. She turned and smiled to Daniel, "This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing this find with me."

They entered the chamber.

* * *

"My Lord, your ha'tak has re-entered the target system and will soon be in orbit above the tall woman with the mysterious energy. There is no indication that they have anything that can detect the presence of your ships above them." Ba'al's First Prime kneeled before his god.

"Excellent," Ba'al responded, "Bring me the displays for the long range communication devices; I shall watch the operation from here. You may order the ships' captains to launch their attacks when ready."

* * *

Shepard didn't quite understand the disgusted looks she was getting. It was her professional opinion, based on data collected on dozens of worlds, that Chinese food was just as good, if not better, cold as it was hot. Using her biotics burned up a lot of calories, fortunately a whole quart of shrimp lo mein was left over from last night's dinner. _Uncultured _primitives_, or so Javik would say, _Shepard thought with an internal smile as she greedily slurped down the noodles_. _Victoria quietly shoveled the food into her mouth as she watched the science staff work on the telemetry gear in the command hut.

It so happened that the world they were on was rather large, and it would take some time for the satellite to come around again from the dark-side to complete its first orbit. Until it did, they would have no idea if it had successfully achieved the desired orbit or broken up during launch. The clock ticked down, it should happen any moment now.

"We've got a signal!" said a scientist. Kavanagh grumbled and discretely handed one of his companions on the science team a $20 bill. Numbers scrolled across the screen. "Orbit looks good. I think we nailed it."

"Nicely done, Commander," said Major Harper. It wasn't the optimal orbit like they could have gotten it if dropped from a 302, but as a proof-of-concept it was pretty damned good!

As if on cue, an ominous red light began to blink. "What's that, Major?" asked Victoria pointing with her chopsticks.

"Proximity alert, we're detecting something big entering orbit."

Harper walked over to the main display and looked over the operator's shoulder. "Is it close enough for a visual?"

"Not quite, sir, this bird's a bit light on optics," the operator said, fingers dancing across the keys, "but LIDAR is painting it as a…" he trailed off has his skin blanched.

"What's wrong? What is it?" Shepard asked.

"The computer says it's a ha'tak and a couple of al'kesh." The room went quiet.

Shepard looked at Harper. _This world is lost,_ there was no doubt in Shepard's mind. Somehow, _somehow_, the goa'uld had discovered this installation and they were coming down to take it from them. They didn't have the means to fight them off. Harper took a deep breath and sighed. He realized it too. It might have taken him a fraction of a second longer than Shepard, but she cut him a little slack. She had fought _way_ more hopeless battles than he had; she had more experience at recognizing these sorts of odds. _That's a hell of a dubious distinction_, she thought.

"Can you calculate an ETA?"

"Just a moment, sir."

"Very well," Major Harper fished around within his shirt for his dog tag chain, "Lieutenant Renquest, produce your auto-destruct key, please."

A bespectacled Marine 1st Lieutenant, Harper's second in command at this post, swallowed hard but did not hesitate to step forward and pull a keychain from his shirt pocket. Shepard tried her best not to laugh at his 'birth control glasses'; this situation was just too dire, it would be inappropriate. As Harper approached the inappropriately named _failsafe_ panel he turned to his communications officer, "Get the OP at the gate on the line, tell them to dial the SGC and let them know we've got a goa'uld mother ship and two al'kesh on the way in. We're initiating Evac Plan Alpha, and we'll need reinforcements to hold the gate until all of our people can get there."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sir, ETA 5 minutes, target ships have not altered course; I don't think they've spotted the satellite or detected its launch," the satellite operator projected an unearthly calm which seemed to soothe the other technicians. Shepard quietly thanked that person, fear was infections. "Correction," the satellite operator spoke again, "the ha'tak is staying up top, settling into orbit above us. The ak'kesh are still on the way down. Showing death gliders separating from the ha'tak now, sir. Still no sign they've spotted the satellite."

"Very well," Harper inserted his key and looked at Lieutenant Renquest, "Turn on three, two one, _turn_," they both twisted their keys and an emergency klaxon sounded throughout the base. A countdown clock appeared on the console marking six hours. They both removed their keys.

"Lieutenant, sound battle stations. Get the science staff to the shelter and man the fighting positions. Make sure each of them have all the Stinger and Javelin reloads that'll fit. Shepard sent us a shipment a while back so there should be more than enough. Skip the mortars, we'll be leaving this base faster than we'll be able to set them up and make them useful. Tell the gunners personally; Stingers for the death gliders, Javelins for the al'kesh. The gliders are just too damn fast for the AT missiles."

"Yes, sir!" Lieutenant Renquest sprang into action.

"Major Harper," the communications officer said excitedly, a hint of panic in his voice, "Gate OP reports incoming wormhole." He pressed his hand to his earpiece and stared into space for a moment, "Jaffa coming through the gate now, sir. OP requesting instructions."

Harper grimaced. Shepard wanted to spring into action but this was his show. So far he was making all of the right calls, _god I love working with professionals, _so she didn't have to. "Tell them to sit tight and do _not_ engage. Lay low and report via hardline only, radio silence." He turned to the drone operations station, "Re-task the Predator, I want eyes on the gate." He stared down one of the men who had tried to kill Shepard this morning; when he wasn't landing or taking off the drones from the hanger his place was here in the operations hut. They were all in this together now, and that bigot knew it, _that_ was plain on his face to Shepard.

Finally, as the 'general quarters' klaxons began to wail throughout the camp, Harper turned to Shepard. He nodded to her and said, "How about you Commander, you up for putting on a light-show for our guests?"

Victoria merely smiled in response and glowed a bright Cherenkov-blue.

* * *

Liara T'soni was in heaven. She hadn't had an opportunity to lose herself in an archeological dig in ages, damn galactic wars and conspiracies kept getting in the way, and this one was proving to be particularly fascinating. She had completely lost track of time and only realized it was getting late when her stomach began growling loudly. She turned to Daniel and giggled. He chuckled and nodded, he had lost track of time as well. "I think our stomachs are trying to tell us something," he said.

"Indeed," Liara replied, "shall we take a break?"

They headed up the stone staircase towards the surface together. Liara was so absorbed going through data on her omni-tool that Daniel was the first to notice it; the telltale whine of a death-glider engine. His face blanched a split-second before he heard someone shout, "Incoming!" The whole dig site erupted.

They came upon a scene of carnage. Several death gliders wheeled above the encampment like so many birds of prey, periodically swooping down on the SGC personnel. An al'kesh hovered in the distance disgorging Jaffa, and Jaffa also seemed to be coming in through the gate. SGC soldiers were firing back at the Jaffa but they seemed to be fairly well pinned down. Liara and Daniel dove for cover and drew their pistols.

* * *

"Prepare to open fire."

Shepard looked down the barrel of her P90 as the al'kesh bomber flanked by a pair of death gliders approached the airbase. Victoria had lost count as to how many times she had wished she had her N7 Valiant. She could have drilled that al'kesh pilot through his windshield already if Doctor Lee wasn't probably breaking it this very moment in the SGC. _This P90 is about as useful as tits on a Hanar. Oh shit, I'm sounding like my _father_-in-law._

So far the SGC personnel had made no indication that they were aware of the goa'uld presence on the planet. The Jaffa at the gate in particular seemed to be blissfully unaware that they were under surveillance. All of that was about to change. No fewer than five separate FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missiles were trained on the al'kesh and each death glider had a pair of FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles slated for them.

Shepard turned to look at the other occupants of the shelter; the balance of Harper's command staff and most of the science contingent. Victoria had a very bad feeling of how things were going to turn out for these people. Fighting off the two al'kesh was going to be a herculean task, but also evacuating these people all the way to the gate would be even more difficult. If the mothership actually came down from orbit or began bombarding them, well, she tried not to think about that.

The goa'uld ships drew closer. Victoria thought about Liara, she hoped she was alright. She hoped that she would see her again soon. She hoped that, if the worst came to pass, then she would not be too crushed having to live on and raise a daughter alone again. She wept internally at the thought. _No, not today! No way you goa'uld motherfuckers! Liara gets her happily ever after, and my baby girl gets her _father_! Fuck you very much!_

"Weapons free!"

Nine guided missiles leapt into the sky.

Shepard could only imagine what it was like for the goa'uld pilots. One moment they were on approach for the seemingly unaware SGC airbase; fat, dumb, and happy. The next moment the sky was full of missiles. The Marines were firing from well camouflaged fighting positions, and the Stingers and Javelins didn't leave much of a smoke trail after the motors ignited; it was certainly possible that they had no idea where the fire was even coming from. One moment there was an al'kesh and a pair of escorting death gliders; the next moment the death gliders were two expanding clouds of debris and the al'kesh was skidding sideways under the blows of repeated anti-tank weapon hits.

The Javelin was originally designed as a fire-and-forget weapon intended to defeat heavy tank armor, but the SGC had early on realized that it might be useful against the relatively slow moving al'kesh medium bombers used by the goa'uld. This was the first field trial, and it was going swimmingly. The fourth missile to impact the bomber scored a hit on the engine and, after a surprisingly anticlimactic puff of the impact, the entire left side of the space craft exploded and the al'kesh rolled over to its side. Careening out of control it impacted the hangar where the Predator drones were kept and exploded.

Shepard smiled a toothy grin, not so much at the destruction of the drone that nearly killed her, _machines were only worth getting angry at if they were sentient_, but that the first al'kesh was out of action so early in the engagement. Her smile was short lived, however, as she saw a new death glider roll out of a bank and start strafing one of the firing pits. A Stinger leaped out of the pit on its ejection motor but the solid-rocket sustainer motor failed to ignite and the projectile fell harmlessly to the ground 10 meters in front of what must have been a very upset Marine judging from the cursing that Shepard could hear even over all of the carnage. _A dud, fuck! _Unchallenged the death glider completed its strafing pass and bits of sandbag and what Victoria hoped were not body parts flew in all directions as at least several staff weapon-type blasts connected with their targets. The goa'uld fighter wheeled away, obviously preparing to come around and finish its prey. _No fucking way, not on my watch,_ was all Shepard could think.

The N7 Slogan that all candidates learned on their first day at 'the villa' was; _improvise, adapt, overcome!_ Shepard was an ardent proponent of putting what she learned into practice, and she was about to. "Cover me!" she shouted to anyone who would listen, and she vaulted over the concrete lip of her dugout. In the distance she could see a Marine dragging a badly wounded comrade out of the firing position that was just strafed. Further afield the death glider was leveling out for another pass. Body glowing a rich Cherenkov-blue she summoned her biotic energy and _charged_ the distance to the retreating Marines. She couldn't quite pull off the same level of badass that Tela Vasir had when deploying the same move on Illium, but it was certainly effective in closing the distance.

Shepard exited her charge with a thunderclap and her Kevlar helmet went flying; apparently the fabric strap just wasn't up to the task. _Never liked the damn thing anyway,_ was all she could think while she looked at the incoming death glider. Glowing a brilliant blue, red hair billowing in the wind, she raised her P90 and emptied its entire 50-round magazine into it. Inexplicably, the fighter didn't fire but peeled away. _Works for me._ She wound up and pitched a warp field at the receding death glider and it shuddered and began smoking.

Not wanting to spend any more time in the open than necessary she ran over to the Marine carrying his comrade over his shoulder and shouted at him, "Is there anyone else in that foxhole?"

"No ma'am! They're all gone!" he shouted back, grief clear on his face.

Shepard wanted to look to make sure for herself, but there was no time, another death glider had spotted them and was wheeling in their direction. "Here, give me this!" Shepard dropped her P90 to hang on its sling and grabbed at the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon the Marine had slung over his shoulder. "You get him over to the shelter near the command hut. The corpsman is there with Major Harper. I'll cover you. Move it Marine! Oorah!" Spurred on by her _pep talk_, he hefted his wounded comrade over his shoulders and ran for all he was worth towards the command hut and the adjacent dugout. Shepard began jogging next to them and readied the SAW.

When it became obvious they wouldn't make it to the shelter before the death glider would be upon them, Shepard threw another warp field. The blue orb impacted the fighter and it took on a blue glow, a rapidly shifting mass effect field began its terrible work; shredding and kneading the very molecular structure of the death glider and its occupant. Victoria smiled, dropped to a knee, and drew a bead on the aircraft. Leading it expertly she opened fire. 5.56mm bullets ripped out towards the death glider at over 900 meters per second, and the mixed-in tracers allowed her to literally walk her fire onto the target. Taking enhanced damage due to the warp field the death glider disintegrated in midair, causing whoops of joy from the marines and scientists taking shelter near the command hut. Finally Victoria threw herself bodily into the dugout and took a deep breath. She looked at the Marine she had escorted and gave him a thumbs-up; the corpsman was already working on his companion.

"Where's Harper?" she shouted to no one in particular. Her ears were ringing badly.

"He's in command, ma'am," someone replied.

"Roger," she started moving along the length of the _shelter_, in reality a large concrete pill box/slit-trench with a small covered path leading into the command hut, passing several members of the science team with awe-struck faces. A death glider rocketed overhead and they all ducked as one. _We need to get out of here soon, _Victoria thought. _If that other al'kesh swings by we're toast._ Victoria imagined that it must be staking out the Stargate. She stopped and handed the SAW back to the Marines she had taken it from, "Thanks, Marine," she winked. He took the automatic weapon and just stared at her with a slack-jawed expression. Shepard was getting that a lot.

Victoria came into command as another death glider few overhead. Surprisingly enough, they hadn't leveled the building, not that she was complaining. She found Major Harper leaning over the shoulder of the drone operator. They were viewing the take off the surviving Predator; he did not like what he saw. The other al'kesh was, in fact, orbiting the area around the Stargate escorted by a brace of death gliders. A squad of Jaffa occupied the Stargate pad, and the inbound wormhole showed no sign of disconnecting; a Jaffa appeared to be holding it open with the end of his staff weapon. By some miracle, however, none of the foxholes associated with the forward observation post had been discovered yet.

"Major," Shepard said, making her presence known, "we can't stay here."

"Agreed," he pointed at the screen, "but leaving will be difficult."

"No doubt," Victoria observed. She wouldn't undermine Harper's command. He knew the score, and he had proven himself a pro so he knew what needed to be done. It was just a matter of him giving the order to move out, no small amount of luck, and a healthy dose of miracle to get to and through the gate.

"Sir," another voice of calm from the satellite tech, "LIDAR is showing the mothership deorbiting. She's heading this way, sir."

Shepard looked at the technician. Then she looked at the video feed from the Predator. The Jaffa at the gate had begun erecting some sort of tripod-mounted staff-weapon-like turret. "They mean to drive us into the open."

"Agreed," the Major saw it too. "They probably _thought_ they could have done the job with just the al'kesh. They _know_ we'll make a break for the gate the moment we see the ha'tak, and they've already got the gate secured. They can grab us on either end, or pick us off at any point in between." He grunted, "Well played."

"We don't have much time then, do we?" Shepard asked rhetorically.

"No, we don't. How long before that mother ship gets here?" Harper asked the technician.

"Fifteen minutes tops, sir," he responded, "looks like they're taking their time, but it's not a long trip."

"Very well," Harper said as he stepped to the _failsafe_ control unit. He manipulated the controls and the timer advanced. It now read 45 minutes to detonation. Shepard brought her omni-tool up and set a timer. "We're leaving." He looked at the drone operator, "Transfer drone control to the mobile unit and destroy the fixed-base unit." He turned to the satellite operator, "Send the self-destruct signal to the satellite and blow your console, then get to the shelter and arm yourself." Finally, Harper turned to his communications officer, "Tell the OP that we're moving out. The nuke goes off in 44 minutes. We'll radio ahead to coordinate our attack on the gate. They are to hold their fire, unless they are fired on directly. No mutual support. I'm willing to give up a foxhole or two if it means the rest go unnoticed. Get confirmation of receipt, blow your console, burn your code books, and get below and arm yourself."

A chorus of "Yes, sirs!"

Harper nodded to Commander Shepard. She cracked her knuckles loudly.

* * *

To the uninitiated, the scene in the 'shelter' might have seemed chaotic; which was to say for the science staff it was. Doctor Peter Kavanagh was having kittens, and he was quite allergic to cats so he didn't much care for the metaphor. He had been okay with losing the $20 bet. After all, you could argue that it was partially due to his own technical prowess that the missile had survived to make orbit, so it was _money well spent_ after a fashion_._ What he wasn't okay with was the miniature spy satellite immediately spotting impending doom at the hands of an invading goa'uld strike force. The personnel back at the SGC just couldn't handle his talent, that's why he'd been labeled as 'doesn't play well with others' and relegated to a series of offworld assignments. Now it was going to cost him his life. Another death glider whooshed overhead; he tried to become one with the concrete.

A _presence_. "You!" it was that Shepard woman, "Yeah, you, Beef and Broccoli! You know how to fire a gun?" She towered over him. She was _enormous_. Her flame-red hair, unencumbered by a helmet and billowing in the breeze, made her look downright demonic.

"Uh, no?"

"Here, it's easy." She knelt down and handed him some sort of belt-fed monstrosity that he thought the Marines called the 'buzz-saw' or 'chain-saw' or 'saw-bones' or something equally menacing.

"Uh, I don't know about this."

"Shut up," she said. "It's easy. It's point and click. Line up these three posts," she pointed to the sights, "then squeeze the trigger. It's got one tracer for every three bullets so you can pretty much walk the fire onto the bad guys; just hose 'em down. Hold the trigger down just long enough to say _die motherfucker, die_ in your head; then let go. Bucks a bit, so lean into it. When you're out of ammo, yell. I've got more." She pointed to a very large rucksack on her back. She also had a spare Stinger and a spare Javelin slung over her shoulders. All of this in addition to her P90 submachine gun.

"How are you carrying so much?"

"You kidding?" she smirked, "All these cybernetics and enhancements I've got in me, I'm easily half again stronger than Teal'c. I just try not to show off. Don't want to hurt his feelings. Big guy's a softie at heart." She winked, "Don't worry Beef and Broccoli, keep your head and keep up with the group, and you'll be ok. Just try to only shoot at stuff wearing chainmail."

Pete Kavanagh gulped hard as the frightening woman strode, purposefully away. He desperately suppressed the urge to vomit.

* * *

The _breakout_ itself went well. But, then again, the goa'uld commander probably wanted it so. They waited until one of the death gliders completed one of its harassment passes. Shepard doubted it was more than that, really, they didn't seem to be trying very hard to hit anything. Something, deep down in her hind-brain, was wondering about that. _Why were they so intent on capturing them?_ In the past, the goa'uld seemed content just to slaughter the SGC personnel they encountered and stem the tide of their advance throughout the galaxy. _What about this place was different? More so, what prompted the sudden change? They seemed hell-bent on killing all of us, then suddenly they backed off._ Unfortunately, she was just too busy trying to stay alive, and keeping those around her alive, to really ponder that at the moment.

A Stinger missile leapt from its launch tube and the sustainer motor ignited as designed. The infrared seeker head found its target and the death glider erupted in a fireball. "Move!" shouted Major Harper. SG-5 vaulted from cover and started moving towards the gate; quickly behind them were the civilian science team and wounded. Peter Kavanagh's cheeks puffed mightily as he hefted the M249 SAW along for the run. He was obviously out of his element, but a heavy dose of fear-induced adrenaline and an N7 pep talk had him giving a fairly good Rambo impression. Victoria stayed just long enough to help the anti-aircraft gunner reload his Stinger launcher and left the shelter with him. She would take up the rear with Major Harper and the balance of his Marine security element. Even carrying the Javelin reload, Shepard had to consciously slow down her run lest she pull ahead of the group.

What was normally a leisurely ten minute walk between the gate and the airfield was now a harrowing three minute sprint. Shepard would have preferred they move in bounding over-watch, from cover to cover, under heavy suppressive fire, with a healthy dose of some sort of obfuscant; a tactical cloak was her personal favorite. But they didn't really have any of those things. As it was, though, Harper's men were doing a stupendous job of keeping the science team and themselves alive. Every time a death glider swooped down upon them a fusillade of machine gun fire or a Stinger missile would drive them away. For good measure Shepard would also pitch a warp field at it, and she managed to help the Marines bring down two more of the goa'uld fighters before they reached their rally point just short of the Stargate.

* * *

Presently the group formed up just short of their objective. A cluster of boulders, most likely dropped there by some ancient glacial movement eons ago, on a gentle rise overlooking the Stargate afforded them a decent place to take cover and collect themselves. It also allowed them an opportunity to lay eyes on the Stargate without the goa'uld realizing they were being observed. Or, at least, Shepard thought, _they hoped_.

"I was wondering where that thing had gotten off to," Harper said looking through his field glasses. He handed them to Shepard. While her military-grade gene-mods had afforded her phenomenal visual acuity, she didn't pass up the opportunity to get a closer look. The other al'kesh had taken up position defending the Stargate as expected. What surprised Shepard was how literally the goa'uld pilot seemed to be taking his orders.

"That damn thing is _hovering_ right over the gate now," Victoria observed out loud. It was no longer _orbiting_ the area. She quickly scanned the rest of the area. "I don't see any bodies. I don't think they've spotted your OP yet."

"Or the mines," Harper replied, "But they don't seem to be trying very hard." He was right, Victoria reflected. The Jaffa seemed to be standing around or manning that heavy tripod-mounted gun, not really doing more than making sure no one made a break for the gate and that the incoming wormhole stayed active. A deep basso rumble caught all of their attention. In the distance, in the direction of the airfield, the ha'tak mothership came into view; another squadron of death gliders swarmed around it like so many angry bees. "I don't think we have much time."

"Agreed…" Shepard was cut off by the sound of staff weapon fire from the direction of the Stargate. It was quickly met by rapid staccato of 5.56 millimeter assault weapon fire. One of the observation post foxholes had just been discovered. Shepard grimaced. Harper's men were well disciplined; none of the other OP foxholes came to their brethren's aid. The battle was savage, but it was brief; half a dozen Jaffa lay dead before the survivors began pulling the dead Marines out of the concealed fighting position. _I'm going to _enjoy_ killing these fuckers, every last one of them,_ was all Shepard could think. She felt a feeling she hadn't experienced since Elysium surge within her. A firm hand slapping down on her shoulder broke the trance.

"Shepard," Harper said, "on me." Victoria crept her way back down the line of SGC personnel with Major Harper towards the drone operator. Along the way they collected Lieutenant Renquest and Harper's lead NCO.

As they passed Peter Kavanagh she could hear him whispering, "Die motherfucker, die," over and over again, clutching the SAW tightly to his chest. She smirked. He didn't have to say it _aloud_. But so long as it gave him focus, she wasn't complaining.

Once assembled, Harper looked at the portable drone readout and outlined his plan, "Based on the take from the Predator, we've still got four Marines in two foxholes and all of the claymores intact down at the gate. There's an al'kesh, a pair of death gliders down there, and dozen or so Jaffa on the ground with a heavy weapon, plus who knows how many more aboard the al'kesh. Here's what we're going to do, and we're going to do it quickly enough that the ha'tak back at the airfield and all of _its_ death gliders won't be a factor.

"Three teams; anti-aircraft element, anti-armor element, and the balance of the force. The Stinger crews will target the death gliders. The Javelin crews will target the al'kesh. The rest of us will escort the science team and woudned and lay fire on the Jaffa infantry that are already on the ground or any that might disembark the al'kesh or come through the gate. On that note, the gate needs to come down as fast as possible. Shepard," he looked at Victoria, "you're going to escort our Javelin team into firing position and, the moment after you've helped them reload with that rocket you've got on your back, you're going to sprint down there, take out that heavy gun, and close that gate. Then you're going to dial Earth and send the 'danger close' IDC. We'll cover you." Victoria cracked her knuckles.

Harper looked at the drone operator, "I'm going to have you pilot the Predator into that al'kesh's cockpit, since they're being so nice and holding it still for us. We'll launch our missiles the moment it impacts."

"Banzai!" Shepard couldn't help herself. Harper's NCO, a Gunnery Sergeant who happened to be of Japanese descent, rolled his eyes in mock disgust.

"The moment those ships are down, I order the OP to blow the claymores and open fire on any Jaffa by the gate still standing. Then we assault, hard and fast, through their position and through the gate to the SGC. Understood?"

All present nodded. _God I love working with professionals,_ Shepard thought, _semper _fi_ motherfuckers!_

* * *

The death glider pilots were apparently not aware of the Earthly axiom, _attack out of the sun,_ for they did not see the diminutive UAV until it was far too late to intercept it. Shepard didn't really expect it to do much in the way of damage, though. In fact, she was surprised it had even survived this long, _guess the goa'uld weren't so big on RADAR_, but it did provide the distraction they were hoping for. No sooner had the Predator smeared itself across the al'kesh's windscreen did three Stinger missiles and two Javelins streak out towards their targets. Shepard didn't have time to watch their handiwork; she was too busy helping her gunner reload the Javelin launcher. The moment the new launch tube was attached to the Command Launch Unit she gave him the traditional, if a bit anachronistic since he knew by looking through the CLU's scope when the missile was ready, tap on the back of the helmet, and took off in a sprint towards the Stargate.

Shepard moved like nothing anyone, SGC or Jaffa, had ever seen before. Despite being a profoundly talented biotic, even _she_ doubted she could have covered _that_ distance in a biotic _charge_ and have any useful amount of biotic ability left over to accomplish her mission once at the gate; so she was doing it the _old fashioned way_. That said, however, she was still not only the product of the best genetic modifications and nutrition that the Systems Alliance could buy, but also the recipient of nearly four _billion_ credits worth of _Cerberus_ cybernetic enhancements; so she was undoubtedly the fasted human in existence in this '_universe_'.

Victoria thundered downhill at nearly nine meters per second; beyond anything an Earth Olympian could accomplish. In her right hand she held her P90 SMG, a glowing blue biotic orb she held sinister. Her eyes were fixed on the Stargate, almost nothing else mattered. _Almost._ In combat, a lack of situational awareness could kill you, and she had just enough to register that the Stingers had found their marks, and that the al'kesh was smoking badly and veering out of position. She tossed a warp field at it for good measure and noticed two separate streams of tracer fire reach up to follow the space craft into the ground.

Closing on the Stargate, her ears were assailed by a stupendous thunderclap. The claymore mines detonated and thousands of ball bearings shredded through the startled Jaffa. The onset of violence had been so sudden, so complete, that they did not know which way to look; it had afforded the SGC personnel all the opportunity they needed. What few Jaffa weren't killed outright by the maelstrom of shrapnel were felled by the Marines breaking cover and gunning them down from their foxholes; all in all, a well-executed ambush.

The Jaffa standing behind the heavy mounted gun wavered momentarily, trying to decide who to target first; the two foxholes that had suddenly erupted before him, or the glowing blue streak thundering his way. His indecision was fatal. A Marine Lance Corporal drilled him between the eyes with his M4 carbine, and he slumped over the gun. The muzzle skewed and pointed crazily at the sky. Shepard immediately deprioritized destroying the heavy weapon and concentrated on the remaining threats.

A single Jaffa stood before Victoria. He had been holding the gate open using the end of his staff weapon. He turned to level it at her; he never even managed to deactivate the weapon's safety. Without warning he was enveloped in a singularity field and floating off of the ground. Just as suddenly, Shepard used a biotic _throw_ to push him the wrong way through the wormhole. The Stargate disengaged with a flicker, and Shepard stepped towards the DHD to begin dialing home. The rest of the party was sprinting towards her, and the Marines from the foxholes were gathering up the bodies of their fallen brothers. In the distance the death gliders escorting the ha'tak broke formation and began heading their way.

* * *

Liara T'soni fired her FN Five-Seven pistol. The 5.7 x 28 millimeter round rocketed out of the muzzle at nearly 650 meters per second. An instant later it entered a Jaffa's forehead. _Victoria was not joking about its accuracy,_ Liara thought. She enveloped the dead Jaffa's body in a mass effect field before it had even begun succumbing to the force of gravity and pitched it towards the incoming wormhole. The Stargate disconnected with a flicker. The briefest of smiles crossed her purple lips. She could only imagine what the far side looked like now; how many Jaffa she had just irradiated into incandescence?

Liara summoned her biotic strength and erected a repulsive bubble, taking a page from Shepard's experiences on the Collectors' Space Station in the Galactic Core. Incoming Staff Weapon blasts seemed to change trajectory ever so slightly upon contact; the gravitational shear of the Mass Effect field just enough to deflect their passage, like light diffracting through water. The attacking Jaffa couldn't quite hit them while under its protection. Though, that certainly didn't deter them; they continued their assault.

It was terrifically difficult to maintain. Every staff weapon blast that impacted the bubble stressed her abilities further. A sweat broke out upon her forehead immediately; it ran down into her eyes stinging badly. Her heart pounded within her chest. _We do not have much time._ She could contain the surviving SGC personnel and the DHD, but that was about it. Liara ground her teeth at the strain. "Now, Daniel!"

Captain Andrews, SG-8's Commanding Officer, and Daniel Jackson sprinted towards the DHD. Andrews covered Daniel as best as he could as he dialed Earth. He quickly realized, however, just like everyone else, that Liara would have to lower her protective bubble before they would be able to escape through the gate.

* * *

"What do you mean it's busy!" Harper shouted at Shepard.

"You heard me!" Shepard ducked as a staff weapon blast zipped past Harper's head, "The wormhole won't engage. I think it's busy."

"Are you sure you dialed it right?"

"Yes, I'm sure I dialed it right!" Shepard stepped back from the DHD and pitched a warp field at an approaching death glider. It dodged and broke off. "Here, you give it a try. I'll shoot at these assholes for a while!"

_No plan survives first contact with the enemy,_ thought Shepard. The assault on the Stargate had been near textbook. They had brought the science team and the bulk of the Marine and SG-5 contingent from the doomed airbase to the gate with minimal casualties. But then things had gone _sideways._ First, the Stargate wouldn't engage. Then, it turned out that the al'kesh's crash hadn't been nearly as fatal to the crew as had been initially assumed; a surprising number of Jaffa infantry had swarmed out of the downed spacecraft. Finally, the death gliders that had been escorting the mothership had decided to join the party. As it was, they were being pounded by a half dozen death gliders, and an unknown number of Jaffa were shooting at them from three different directions. _Plus, it's only a matter of time before more Jaffa from the ha'tak show up and overwhelm us. We _can't_ be here when that happens!_ Shepard grimaced, wasn't she supposed to be on a beach somewhere with Garrus living off of vid royalties?

About the only break they _had_ caught unexpectedly during the assault on the gate was that the Jaffa heavy weapon had been captured intact. True to the traditional source of his rank's name, Harper's Gunnery Sergeant was using it to give the death gliders some serious shit. A death glider exploded into a fireball to accentuate that point, Shepard thought.

Victoria's P90 clicked on an empty chamber. She was now completely out of ammunition for it. She looked up; another death glider was beginning a strafing run. They still seemed oddly unwilling to make direct passes against her, but she wasn't willing to take that for granted. Thinking quickly, Shepard reached down and grabbed a fist-sized rock. She enveloped it in a Mass Effect field and pitched it with frightening speed towards the approaching fighter. It impacted the canopy, shattered the glass, and showered the pilot with shards. The death glider spiraled wildly and crashed into the ground. _That works,_ Victoria thought in shocked disbelief as she heard the Stargate finally engage behind her.

She turned to look. Harper was inputting a code into the IDC unit strapped to his wrist; that's when it happened. A Jaffa staff weapon blast caught him in the leg. "Shit! Harper!"

"Get through the gate!" Harper shouted, eyes wide with the surprise of being shot. From the look of his face, it obviously didn't hurt; _yet_. That would come later. "We've got the 'all clear'! Get through the gate!" Harper's Marines began shepherding the scientists through the Stargate. The Gunnery Sergeant behind the heavy weapon began firing wildly for all he was worth; Jaffa infantry dove for cover and death gliders seemed stymied in their approaches. Victoria sprinted towards the Major. She spotted the Jaffa who had shot him at about the same time he spotted her. He shot first, it missed low and wide kicking up debris that stung her arm and face. Victoria drew her Five Seven and, in a quick and fluid movement, shot the Jaffa twice through the chest and once through the forehead. She quickly holstered the pistol and scooped up Major Harper into a fireman's carry.

"Let's go Marines, we're leaving!" she shouted as she jogged up to the gate, staff weapon blasts whizzing past her to either side.

"You're the last one through, ma'am!" said the Gunnery Sergeant as he quickly abandoned his post and jogged through the gate with her.

"Let's go, Gunny!" Shepard shouted, staff weapon and, now, zag-gun blasts zipping past their heads.

They stepped through the event horizon together.

* * *

The SGC-side of the gate was no less chaotic than where they had just come from. In fact, the Jaffa staff weapon fire was still coming through the event horizon. Victoria rushed down the embarkation ramp and vaguely registered the Gunnery Sergeant patting her on the shoulder and rushing off to tend to other wounded Marines. She threw Major Harper down on the concrete and looked into his pained face. She was filled with that same rage she had felt on Elysium all those years ago. _Motherfuckers gonna pay!_ "Keep that iris open!" she shouted loudly enough that Walter and General Hammond could hear her in the control room through their microphone pick-ups.

She summoned her biotic strength. She dug deep. She groaned at the exertion. The last section of the embarkation ramp began to glow a rich Cherenkov-blue. It groaned in sympathy with her. It creaked. It shuddered and moved. Bolts and locking pins sheared and popped. Suddenly it was free from the rest of the ramp and floating before the Stargate. The staff weapon blasts, increasing in intensity, began impacting off of it with a dull ringing noise. Puffs of smoke rose from the impacts with the acrid stench of ozone. "Eat shit and die!" she shouted and _pushed_ it through the gate _the wrong way_. The wormhole disengaged with a brilliant flash and loud pop.

There was silence in the gate room.

It was short lived.

* * *

"She lives. I have never seen someone survive so many blasts from a zat'nik'tel."

"You should hope so! Our Lord commands that this one be taken to him unharmed! I loath to think what fate would befall us if she had perished."

"None of the remaining tau'ri survive."

"All but a handful were able to escape."

"Nor have I, but it is none of our concern now; neither are the tau'ri who _did_ escape, our Master cares not for them. Activate the chappa'ai. The transport to our Lord's court awaits."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Bonus points if you spotted the references to: 'The Right stuff', 'Futurama', 'World War Z', and 'Aliens'.


End file.
